Sáname
by Sora Killua
Summary: After leaving the hospital that has been his home for the past three years, Naruto is finally entering the college life and standing on his two feet. Yet, life always has a wondrous way of putting obstacles in his path, and the biggest one is called Uchiha Sasuke, A.K.A, The Roommate! NaruSasuNaru.
1. Chapter One

**Author's Notes:**

**Hello, everyone. Nice of you to click here! I'm back~ with a new Naruto-fic, too! Number four now. I'm pretty excited about this story since I'm writing it with a smile on my face, and I hope you can feel it, too. Thanks to my lovely Beta, XxDreaming of RealityxX, for her amazing work into beta'ing this story to make it mistakes-free as best as she could. Now, I'll leave you to the first chapter, let me know what you think about it. And I hope you love it as much as I do! Enjoy  
**

**Disclaimer: Naruto ain't mine…and yes, I'm wallowing in my own tears-filled darkness due to that little fact. **

* * *

Having finally stepped into the world that he was extremely afraid of, a huge smile spread across his face. Even though his hands were sweating like crazy and his breathing was becoming shallow, he was happy. To overcome the troubles that had faced him constantly for a period that exceeded that of mere two years, he was finally here, outside, in a place where he had his self-felt pride, happiness, freedom and the joy of being alive and breathing. His fangs showed when his smile turned to clattering of teeth. The cold weather around him signaled just how stupid of an act it was to step outside the hospital borders dressed so lightly in such chilling blizzard.

Naruto sneezed and took a shaky glance at his hands. If his blood was able to talk, he was sure some curse words would be included in describing what he had done to it. Shaking his head at the silly thought, he tucked his hands under his armpits and proceeded into running back to the hospital. Okay, so he was more like limping, but what of it? That in itself was a huge success for him!

His face drained from all colors upon seeing the stern face of his physician when he set foot inside the hospital reception. Cheekily, he tried to protect himself by turning his cold hands into small shields and failed miserably.

"I was bored."

With the hit that was given to his head, he knew that that probably wasn't the best lie to get himself out of this situation. Naruto winced. But it wasn't because he was hit no, mind you, he had a head tougher than stone. It was because his physician, Nana, went and placed her hands on her hips, and he knew from experience that it only meant one thing. Nagging was coming his way.

"Uzumaki-kun! You're not a child needing to be cared for at all times! I trust you are an adult and I'm treating you as such! You haven't yet finished your intended course of treatment and you know quite well how bad it is for you to be moving idly in such weather! You need to stay inside as not to endanger your current development! If you wish to delay your date of release, I will not be held responsible for it!"

"Buuuuuuuuuut! I was getting really bored in there! And you said to train my legs to walk more!"

"Inside the hospital premises! Not out in absurd piles of snow!"

"It's not like snow is going to kill me or anything."

"It will affect your bones, rendering all development invalid." She released a sigh as her words fell on deaf ears and added in a different tone, hoping to have the child before her understand how tired she was of his childish behavior. "Anyhow, for now, get back to your room and I'll be back later to assess the amount of damage that has occurred."

As the fifty year old physician went to complete her rounds, Naruto stuck his tongue out for her. It was childish and he knew it, but so what? He was only eighteen years old, in his dictionary of life, he was still a toddler.

Naruto took the stairs, as always, to his room and closed the door when he reached it. His happy expression soon turned to that of annoyance; he was stuck here, within this sickly white room while all other people were enjoying life from the outside. He shook his head to remove the gloom from his mind. He had long learnt that being gloomy got you nowhere good, his wrists were solid proof of that.

Naruto opened the window to gaze outside. The cold breeze hit his face like a hard slap, and he disliked it, but he disliked the warm room he was in more, at that moment. Getting a sniff from the slowly descending snow he got a sudden urge to head up to the roof and just spread his hands pretending to be a wild bird that could fly anywhere with no restrictions whatsoever to this earth.

Being the human he was, Naruto was true to his childish desires. He ran as fast as his still healing legs would allow him and made extra attention not to be caught by any of the hospital guards or workers for he would surely be sent back to his room, without letting him indulge in a silly wish. Finally, he reached the last stairs forbidding him from the cold weather. When he started on the first staircase, his left leg gave up on him and a cramp had him bending down to the ground in smothering pain. The effect of the cold finally getting to him.

Voices of hospital workers were coming close to his ears and cursing, he particularly hobbled his way up the stairs, hiding behind the rows of steel that the upper staircase had provided, safely avoiding being seen. To his good luck, the door to the rooftop was left open, and with quick massages that Nana had taught him, he was able to get rid of the cramp. Slowly raising himself up, Naruto opened the door and took a tiny step outside.

It was colder this time than downstairs. A big stupid grin decorated his face and he went to the middle of the roof and started turning like an idiot, allowing certain childish chuckles to escape his mouth every now and then. It was embarrassing if anyone would catch him like this. But it was only for him, the weather, and God to watch. And he was embarrassed from neither.

Sadly, his turning had to come to a stop as his legs finally decided that enough was enough and forced their stupid owner to the ground. Even though, Naruto kept on laughing as if the world was his and his alone. Yes getting in touch with one's inner child was always a fun thing to do.

"Baaaka."

Naruto felt the blood inside his face drain with these words. Was there another person who was a witness to his idiocy? Oh Lord! He would not be able to live with the embarrassment had this other person was someone he was familiar with. Turning so slowly, he came in contact with another young man. The other had snow on top of his head, making the black colour that was his hair darken ever so slowly. If Naruto was left to determine the other's age, it wouldn't pass his by much. But what had Naruto staring was the extremely pale complexion. He couldn't remember ever seeing a human with such a complexion alive and kicking.

But then again, he wasn't out much.

Naruto's mouth could only utter one word at the person who clearly had no business into seeing him twirl around himself like a fool, since both the foreign eyes were covered by a thick white bandage that extended from one pale ear to the other.

"What?"

"You heard me."

Getting annoyed at the nasty answer, Naruto forced his aching legs to stand up, ignoring the sharp pain that shot from there.

"Yes, I did. But why would you call me that?"

"Because you are one."

Feeling fed up with the other, Naruto headed towards the door not in the mood for picking up a fight. "Alright buddy, I see you have some issues here and you want to have a fight. I don't. So, 'm leaving. Have a nice day, dickhead."

"Hn." Was the only acknowledgment he was given.

Buffing his cheeks at the way he was being treated in, Naruto hurried to the door. But before he started his mostly exhausting journey down the cement layers called stairs, he took one look behind his back wondering just why the other was in such a bad mood in such a lovely weather –it was true that they were in a hospital where the general feeling circulating around was grief, but people were still respectful of one another. Why was this one so nasty?

A picture of himself two years ago floated to his brain as he turned to the other. And, without meaning to, Naruto found himself running to catch the guy that was so close to throwing himself off the reel. Luckily, he caught him before anything serious has happened. Taking a deep breath, Naruto felt his nerves flare.

"What the fuck were you thinking?! I don't know what shit you're facing but killing yourself is never the answer! Buckle up dammit and face your problems! Don't run away from them and go kill yourself!"

The hand he was using to hold the other with was slapped so harshly, as the raven found his way slickly out of the protective embrace.

"I wasn't planning on killing myself, baka. And had I been, you have no business interfering."

Naruto bit his lips rubbing his slapped fingers from the pain. "Then do it in a place where I wouldn't know or see! You can't just throw yourself in front of me and expect me to stand there and watch!"

"Are you deaf or something? I said I wasn't planning on killing myself. Besides, you were leaving, not wanting to have a fight and all, you lousy coward!"

"Being a coward beats being a dickhead every day, stupid!"

"Moron."

"Egotistical fuck."

"A third class dipshit."

"Teme!"

"Dope!"

"Asshole!"

"Bitch!"

Naruto frowned at the line of curses that would not stop until he put a stop to it himself and stuck his tongue out singling the end to this stupid quarrel. "Why the hell are you so fixed on picking a fight with me?!"

"Hn."

"Sure, keep quiet now. And just for the record, I won't. No matter how much you ignite me, I won't fight."

"That because you're a _coward_."

"There is nothing wrong with being a coward. It's being hot-headed that's wrong, and innocent people get punished along the way…" Naruto's tone darkened a little at the end.

The raven sat on the place he was standing on and dusted the snow off his head. Now that Naruto had taken a clear look at the other, his face was totally top notch. He was what people would call handsome with well-cut features, Naruto smirked; if his best friend, Sakura, was present, he was sure she would fawn over the new hot guy in town and make up a plan in order to win his heart. Yes, how glad he was that she hadn't come to visit him today.

"What's your name?"

"To you, Master."

Rolling his eyes at the obvious ass, Naruto acted as if he didn't hear him and continued introducing himself. "I'm Naruto."

"I didn't ask."

"Yes, but it would be easy for you to know me had I introduced myself seeing as you can't see and all."

"I don't want to know you."

Naruto felt a pout make its way towards his face. "Your vocabulary is full of unpleasant things, isn't it?"

"Then stop conversing with me."

"No can do, buddy, you were the one who started talking to me, and if you wanted nothing to do with me, you could have just ignored me, which you didn't."

"I still don't see how that progresses as me wanting to know you."

"It does. So, why did you come here for?"

The blond knew that if he could see the other's eyes, a roll would be there. "None of your business."

Naruto shrugged the snow that was falling on his shoulders, reminding him that the weather was really turning bad. He swiftly remembered something and his lips curved into a sweet smile. "Hey, want me to take you somewhere nice?"

"I'd prefer if you just let me be."

The blue eyed male forced his legs to stand up and put his hands on his hips looking at the obviously blind raven before him. "Look, if you're not here to kill yourself, then you want one of two things, to smell some fresh air, which I doubt due to the honorable blizzard we're having, or…you want to be left alone, which I will not do. So, what I'm offering is something that will help you comper-"

"I don't do drugs!"

And Naruto blinked a couple of times. "Who said anything about drugs?"

"You did."

"No, I didn't. I want to show…err…take you to a place, better than this, and I assure you that nothing bad will happen to you."

"Do you honestly believe that I'll go off with a total stranger that I have no idea who he is and just blindly, and yes I know the irony, follow him?"

Naruto scratched his head thinking this thoroughly. "Hmmm…not really. But I'm not a complete stranger. You may not know my face, but you know my name…and voice."

The handsome pale teen snorted. "You could've changed your voice and there is no guarantee that this is your real name."

"Then what will make you trust me?"

"Nothing. You're a complete stranger." The other teen paused for a second then continued. "Why do you want me to trust you in the first place? You don't even know me."

A gush of cold air had both of them shudder. Naruto wrapped his hands protectively around himself. "Would it be creepy if I said you remind me of someone that I know?"

"Yes it would."

When the other did no notion into moving away from Naruto, the blond relaxed into a corner and thought that maybe, this other guy that represented what he was two years ago, may really not be so bad as he was trying so hard to appear, and maybe he could reach his hand and make a difference in the other's obviously troubled life.

"Okay, how about this. I will tell you a story, you have the freedom to decide to trust me or not after I finish it…"

"I already told you, there's no way I'm trusting you."

"Yeah, yeah, but just listen to my story, and then you can decide if you trust me or not."

Naruto grinned when he saw the other teen sigh as if he was talking to a prick of stones. If there was one thing that he was sure he had, it was a stone-hard head.

"I'm still on my initial opinion that I won't trust you. But seeing as you're not about to back down and leave me alone. I'll allow you to tell your pathetic story."

"Great! Now, where should I start from? Hmm…yes, I know! Okay, it had all started when a silly kid decided that it would be fun to play a small prank on his new neighbours. It was a sunny day, and the kid's prank had unintentionally set the neighbour's house on fire…well, the curtains, anyways, by the time the firemen came to pull everything together, the neighbours called the police, accusing the kid of being an arsonist, and since the kid was still underage, the only thing they could do was judge him some community service time. Anyways, the neighbour's daughter, who felt that the punishment the kid got after having her lose her adorable room and her house was minor, took it upon her shoulders to fix everything an-"

"Is there a lot to the end?"

Naruto puffed his cheeks, not liking the interruption. "Just listen! You're not doing anything better anyway."

The other released a huff of annoyance and gestured Naruto to complete with his tale. "Carry on."

"Well, as I was saying, she took it upon her shoulders to make the other suffer. So, having no knowledge whatsoever with the car's mechanics, she played with the wires inside the kid's father's car, she had known that on that particular day, the kid and his father were going to have a trip, and she had only intended on giving him a scare. But it had rained that day, and what the silly girl had done was play with the car's breaks –rendering them inactive. So, unfortunately, an accident happened that day." Naruto took a deep breath that hurt his lungs from the freezing cold, but knowing that he couldn't possibly leave the other without an ending, he continued. "The kid lost his father due to the crash, and he was crippled in bed for two years. In which he lived in a world full of agony and hatred. He blamed himself for that'd happened. Because it was actually his fault that he'd lost everything dear to him just because of a silly prank an-"

"I don't think it was his fault."

Naruto felt his eyes widen slightly at the words that came to interrupt him again but this time, he smiled sweetly feeling like maybe his story had touched a certain area the other felt connected to. And he responded.

"But it was. If he didn't plan that whole prank, he'd still have his feet and his father."

"You can't blame him for something like that. I don't believe he was thinking that stuff would reach this extent just because of a stupid bad idea."

"He should've calculated the consequences before his actions."

"Before I go into this deeper, how old was this kid?"

"He was fourteen, turning fifteen. You know what's the ironic thing is, the day the accident had happened, it was his birthday. I don't think he will ever be the same."

"There you have it. He was just stupid, a hormone-filled idiot that didn't think of the consequence of his next move. But that doesn't make him guilty of killing his father. It just makes him utterly dump."

"So, you don't think that what he's done needs punishment?"

"No, he does need to be punished. And from what I've gathered, he already has been. He was set to community service for the fire, and he became crippled because of the accident."

"And you think that those two are enough?"

Naruto waited for a while and the answer he got was the silent, quiet movement that had him intoxicated with its elegance. "I'll answer that after you take me to that place you wanted to take me to."

"You trust me, now?"

"No. But I think it will not be such a bad idea to spend some more time with you."

"What if I turned out to be a bad person? I could rape you."

"I know Kung Fu. You're welcome to try your chances. I'm not that weak to take down."

Naruto's smile fluttered into a swift grin and he walked towards the other, taking a pair of cold hands into his own, he explained when the other was about to snatch his right hand away. "I'll need to guide you."

And the raven allowed Naruto to take him by the hand. Naruto started getting inside from the cold weather and slowly with care made his way down the stairs. He was sure not to stress too much on treating the other like how a normal person would treat a blind one, because he knew from experience that no one liked being treated as anything less than a complete human. He made a detour to the left and quickly had to hold himself against the other in a confined storage room as not to be noticed by a group of nurses that were patrolling through the patients.

"What are you doing?"

"Hush!"

Putting a hand on those lips that were close to have them exposed, he released in a hushed tone. "Be quiet, or they'll hear us…!"

Naruto opened the door a tug and released a sigh when the nurses were gone. He grabbed the still cold fingers into his and signaled the other that they needed to move quick, A.K.A, dash.

"I have no problem with it, but can you?"

Naruto fluttered his eyelids. "Excuse me?"

"I may be blind, but I still have my other senses, and they're telling me that there's something wrong with your legs."

The blond sweat dropped as he tried to brush the subject off. "There's nothing wrong with my legs. Your senses are just playing tricks on you."

"Hn."

Struggling to hide them both, and still to continue with their trip had Naruto's dead heart flare with a rush of excitement that he'd not felt in a while. It was foolish, childish and his legs felt like knives were being stabbed through them, but he wouldn't have it any other way.

Finally, when he thought the energy in him was about to drain away, Naruto reached the place he wanted the other to see…well, feel then.

"We're here!"

He couldn't stop himself form smiling when the sweet smell of flowers mingling together hit the nostrils of the teen with him and the cold fingers he was holing slipped so effortlessly out of his grasp. Naruto allowed himself a tiny break as he sat on one of the benches placed on the beautiful big garden that was located in the eastern side of the big hospital, protected from the awful weather.

"I found it when I was running away from my physician. Apparently, it's made as a project; 'Healing by Nature' they'd called it. But to me, it's a place to go to when you need a fresh air or when you feel like wanting some time alone."

The blond watched as the other raven nodded absentmindedly to his words and then he came to sit beside him, feeling his way through.

"You do know I can't see any of this."

"That's not why I brought you here. Remember, I told you from the beginning, I will take you to a place where you'll get the chance to be alone, without anyone to bother you, no interruptions and without me worrying about leaving you in that freezing cold all by yourself to commit God knows what."

"And you care so much because I resemble someone you know?"

"Which creeps you out."

"Hn. I'm starting to think about that now…you're a bit unusual, aren't you?"

"Nope, perfectly normal. Just viewing life from a different perspective than normal people."

"And you want me to see it from the same perspective?"

Naruto frowned at this and brought his thumb under his chin, thinking genuinely about this. "…Maybe not the same perspective, and don't get me wrong here, I don't want to push you into anything you don't feel like doing. I'm just…consider me a warm breeze of air that's blowing inside the darkness you're seeing."

And for the first time that day, Naruto saw those dry lips form towards what appeared to be something close to a smile, but sadly, they only reached a smirk. A smirk that he thought came very perfectly with the arrogant personality he was facing.

"You're really a fool."

"A fool who knows how to enjoy life~"

"But still a fool."

Naruto smiled and allowed them to sit in silence. He took this time to watch the other a bit more keenly. Being in that blazing cold didn't give him a lot of time to actually focus on the other male. This time, he took everything he saw in detail. The other had sharp features that were well amended with his chin. He couldn't make out what form or colour his eyes were because they were covered by a white bandage that crossed a smooth soft hair that he found himself wondering how soft it was, but he kept wondering.

Naruto's beautiful blue eyes lowered themselves into the slick neck the other owned. He didn't really have a neck fetish, but if he did, this would be the perfect neck to set standards by. From the way he was sitting, he could tell the other was well built. And from the scratches and scars visible from the skin that was shown through the dark clothes the raven chose to wear, he didn't get into the hospital for something minor.

Naruto just hummed his thoughts a stop.

"…Show me your eyes."

Upon the words that the blond had released and allowed to hang in the air, the other male turned his face to where the voice came from.

"Why?"

"Do I need a reason to see them?"

"Normally, yes."

"But, as you said, I'm not normal, and I don't think you're either. So, would the reason 'I just feel like seeing them' help in this situation?"

"It will make it more the reason why I should refuse."

Naruto smiled, liking this conversation he was leading. It's been a long time since he got to have a conversation that didn't involve him turning into an idiot or remembering sad topics. Maybe it was about time he let go of his frustration and learns to adore life a bit.

"But you're not saying no."

"Hn."

They sat in thirty seconds filled with silence and just when Naruto was about to open his mouth talking again, he saw pale hands turn to the bandages surrendering the hidden eyes and unwrap them open. He didn't know why but with every unwrap the other was making; his heart was thumping with excitement. Naruto just stood in marvel when the bandages were out of the way and the only thing that was separating him from the eyes were thick eyelids.

"Show me."

"This is crazy."

"I think you passed that stage when you decided to follow me."

Naruto was shushed down when dark, sharp, black orbs found their way to his eyes. He felt his own eyes widening. Okay, it wasn't his first time seeing a pair of black orbs – they were very common in his society, but it was his first time seeing a person so handsome. Those dark blind eyes, hair and features –they all went along perfectly to show him a breathtaking painting. And Naruto stared.

"I would never have thought you'd be a Blondie."

Naruto frowned at him and asked with puzzled eyes. "Aren't you blind?"

"Partially, I can only make up lights. But everything else is a blur."

"So, you can't really see me?"

"What the hell did I just say?!"

Naruto held up his hands in defense. "No need to get your panties in a twist. Relax. So, if you could see, why are you covering your eyes?"

"I can't see."

"You just said-"

"That's not seeing. I'm merely watching big lights dance before me, and it's extremely irritating. I'd rather see only darkness other than being doomed to them all of my life."

Naruto scowled at the words. "Well, I won't. Right now, because of these lights you dislike, you were able to partially identify me. So, if anything, I'm grateful to them."

"It's been a while, but…" The raven released a playful smirk, "Are you hitting on me?"

"Would you want me to hit on you?"

"That depends."

"On?"

"On if you can entertain me or not."

"You do realize that I'm not a girl, right?"

"You didn't have a problem hitting on me and I'm a male."

"Most people would be repulsed."

"I'm not most people, and as stated, we've already established we aren't normal."

Naruto made a gesture to say something but before he could force himself to pronounce anything, a loud annoyed sound had him chilled to his position and before any of them knew what was coming, an angry Nana came cursing down on her naughty patient and Naruto's brain drained from anything except the simple act of saying how much sorry he was.

* * *

Naruto smiled and released fresh air into his lungs. He walked with steady steps into the huge dormitory. It was his first day, finally being accepted to one of his best choices, University of Konoha, the leading star in all academic records. Keeping up his studies while being in the hospital was a struggle, but thanks to his best friend, Sakura, he'd made into his first choice university. He'd finished all of the registration papers and signed himself to all of his classes – the ones he needed to take in order to pass that is.

Until this day, he didn't know what to make of himself, but the one thing that he was sure he wanted to do, was enter into Engineering, Mechanical Engineering to be exact. He remembered how when he was a mere kid knowing nothing of the world, he would look up to his businessman of a father and see if he could be something cool like him, then one day, his hands came to hold a car and he found himself enjoying it. Enjoying the feel of taking a car pieces together and then reassembling them into a decent vehicle.

So, looking up for the room he was given, Naruto clutched his key tightly and waited for his pink haired friend to come from the long discussion she had initiated with the janitor asking all different questions about the dorm. He sighed; Sakura was still treating him as if he was an injured bird.

And he couldn't blame her, because she had taken care of him for the past three years and saw all of his bad sides. Naruto tried to let her know as quietly as possible that he was now a grown up man who could live life depending on his own energy, his own strength, without any aid from anyone. And he hoped that she would understand that before he goes and does something stupid making her hate him forever.

"Naruto! I finally got him to agree to the conditions I had concerning leaving you here!" A tall, curvy girl with short pink locks and green sparkling eyes that made her shining pinkish complexion stand up exclaimed happily to Naruto as she neared him.

The blond sighed as she caught up with him and continued walking towards the room assigned to him. "You mean you forced him to comply with your orders."

"Same thing. So, listen, tomorrow, I'll be coming with Ino to help you organize everything together. I will be bringin-"

"Sakura-chan, it's not that I don't appreciate your help, because I do. But don't you think it would be better if I started minding my own business?"

A pink ponytail twirled as the girl puffed her cheeks, not liking this argument. "I know…"

"And didn't you promise to allow me to do so?"

"Yeah…but I'm doing this to relief my own mind, Naruto. I can never live with myself if anything bad was to happen to you. I won't know how to face Minato-san!"

"Sakura, you've already done more than enough for me. Firstly, you helped me during my bad times, secondly, on my studies and tests, and thirdly, you allowed me to stay in your house the whole time I needed to get a home for myself."

The pink haired girl scowled. "Yeah, but you can't say that that's enough!"

"Yes, it is. It's more than enough. You should start on focusing more on yourself."

"Okay, how about we make a new promise? If you can assure me that you're good and fine in this dorm, I promise not to butt into your life as much as I do now!" She ended with a childish grin.

"Are you sure about that? You're not just making up new promises to have me forget the old ones?"

"No, Naruto. I'm even repulsed that you'd think I'd do something like that!"

Rolling his eyes at his liar of a friend, Naruto continued. "Yeah, yeah…you never deceive, lie or cheat, because it's so beneath you."

"Yep!"

"Yep my ass…" At the glare the blond changed the subject not wanting to enter into old scores with the wolf in woman's clothes standing a few steps beside him. "So, if I can assure you that, you'd back off?"

"Well…it depends on your view of backing off…"

"Sakura!"

"Alright, alright, I will back off completely, but you have to prove to me that you're able to care for yourself! And good luck on that one, Uzumaki!"

Naruto nodded as he came to stop beside the room that held the same number on the key he was carrying, seventeen. And with much anticipated eagerness, he looked at the nameplate, which read in big, bold letters a name that sent a wind of refresh through his memory.

"Uchiha Sasuke." Sakura had pronounced, waking him up from his own trance. "Sounds expensive."

"Would you stop making comments on my future roommate, Sakura?" He said clicking the door open.

"What? I wasn't trashing his name. It just remained me of the smell of money."

"Hmm…"

The two quieted down as their eyes started examining the room assigned to Naruto. The dorm really held up to its reputation. The room was vast, there was a kitchen, a bathroom, two separate beds with nightstands, two closets, a plasma screen TV and a small hall. In Naruto's mind, it should've been called an apartment – since it held everything an apartment should, but it was a room. He closed the door behind Sakura with a click.

"Are you sure you can afford this place, Naruto?"

"I'm starting to doubt that too myself. Hello, anybody here?" He called making his way to the empty bed that had no books on it.

Sakura followed his trail after checking the bathroom and releasing a small shriek of, "Wow, I could totally live here!"

Naruto rolled his eyes at her comment and sweat dropped at the thought that came to his head that maybe his best friend was seriously thinking of barging in every two days to use his bathroom. He shook the silly thoughts and watched her get out of the bathroom.

"Your roommate doesn't seem to be in."

"Yeah. I would have liked it if he was though. Things wouldn't be so nervous if he was…"

Sakura smiled coyly at her friend. "Hmm…is that a hidden meaning for me to stay with you, Naru-chan? Because I can if you want me."

Naruto quickly waved his hands franticly. "No, no, no…I meant that I'm just nervous to meet him the first time, that's all. Believe me, Sakura, I'll be fine!"

The pink haired female smiled. "Relax, Naruto. I'm just pulling your leg. So, want me to stick and help you settle in or you can manage that on your own?"

"Nah, I only have this bag on me, the rest of my stuff, I'll get them tomorrow from your house. You can go."

Sakura spared her watch a look and nodded his way. "Okay. I have an appointment with Ino concerning the part time job she wants to apply to. So, I can't be late."

"What is she applying for this time?"

"Fashion. She is trying a modeling job that came her way." She said making her way towards the door. "Don't forget to tell me anything that you need to. I'll always be there for you, Naruto."

"Yeah. I know that. Thank you."

The girl gave him a small kiss on his cheek and bid him goodbye running to reach her appointment. Naruto watched her disappearing form and closed the door behind him. He went to his bed and started unpacking his bag. Taking the open closet to be his own and the empty nightstand to his pleasure, Naruto hummed as he began enjoying his life of independence.

* * *

Blond eyelashes fluttered as their owner groaned himself awake, Naruto rubbed his eyes out of the fogginess and blinked the blanket that was covering him away. He started remembering what had happened and the only thing he could remember was that he was arranging his stuff, then started reading some of his lessons and the next thing he knew, he was falling asleep on his bed. He blinked thinking that maybe sometime during his sleep he'd pulled his blanket over himself or something.

Getting out of the bed, he blinked again at the dark room he was currently in and reached for his cellphone to read the time, shiny numbers read four in the morning, Naruto whistled and quickly clammed his hands over his mouth when the bed next to his released a groan.

Now that he looked at it right, there really was a figure sleeping there. In the darkness, he could only make up a lump of hair, and it was dark. Feeling that it would be improper to have his roommate wake up to find him staring and inspecting him, Naruto decided to complete on his piled up home works now that he was up.

He went to the place where the bathroom was supposed to be in and flicked the light on, washing his face and taking a leak took fifteen minutes of his time. Naruto sighed looking at his reflection in the mirror. From this day…err…night forward, he was on his own. Troubles, mistakes, misfortune and uneasiness were things that he'd need to learn how to care of his own way, alone…just he and himself.

Naruto felt his tips grow cold at the idea and before he could start on getting that familiar anxiety attack that had started attacking him the first time he tried to get into a car after his accident, he splashed cold water on his face, affecting his frontal bangs having them slid to his face. He grinned encouraging himself and with stern, determined eyes, stepped out of the bathroom.

Forcing his eyes to adjust to the dimness of the dark once more, Naruto walked – hoping that the slow moves he was making didn't wake the other up, towards the nightstand that he'd arranged his books and notebooks on. Thinking that it would be a great time to start on solving those problems he got in Algebra instead of getting back to sleep, had Naruto begin his silent search for the book.

It was about half an hour later that he decided that what he'd written as an answer was sufficient enough, and without him realizing a pair of black orbs watched him as a yawn escaped his mouth on his way to his bed. Thinking that it would be best to change into comfortable pajamas instead of the pair of jeans he was currently wearing, Naruto started changing. Oblivious to the second audience that was hooked on his every move.

Naruto fluffed the pillows and so slowly made his way under his comfortable blanket. Setting his alarm to ring at ten in the morning, Naruto ordered his eyes to close and his systems to lower down their functions and ready for divine, blissful sleep.

And the dark eyes lingered watching even after Naruto's body surrendered to the tempting darkness.

* * *

Gaara hated his morning job. He hated the orders he was given by the dorm's supervisor to call all the new members and guide them to the cafeteria for breakfast. In fact, he would have liked nothing more than to just have all of these silly duties assigned to him to go float to someone else. In another place, that was hundreds of miles away from him. But that couldn't have happened, and he was forced to get back to reality.

Sighing for the umpteenth time that day for being forced to wake up at eight when his first lecture didn't start 'till somewhere around eleven and twelve, didn't help into raising his morals one bit. He came face to face with room number seventeen, and that's when he groaned. Sasuke Uchiha has finally been given his thirteenth roommate. For the past six months that he'd been present here, Sasuke Uchiha had made it his top priority to kick out any roommate that even thought about continuing one week with him in a room.

The last roommate held a record of one month. And even though he'd betted against him, that dude exceeded the one-week period and Gaara had to pay up his lost bet. He knocked on the door hoping not to get greeted with the A-hole; because as much as he liked having fights to prove himself, he disliked pointless petty fights, especially when they were this early in the morning.

And it seemed like his lucky day had finally came, because the door was opened revealing a shuffled, blue-eyed, blond male that had a confused look on his face. Gaara released a beam.

"I trust you're Uzumaki Naruto, the new victim…I mean student."

"Y-Yeah?" An unfocused Naruto answered.

"Good. Go get ready. All I'm giving you here are fifteen minutes. Wash up quickly and meet me downstairs at the base of the right staircase."

Before Naruto could demand any other explanation from the weird redheaded, Gaara walked away with a nonchalant expression. Naruto yawned and returned to his room. He contemplated the thought of returning back to sleep or going down to see what this stranger had wanted. But thinking that it would be best to learn about the people he was supposed to interact with now, and the fact that he was about to wake up in a matter of only two hours, he chose the first one. And headed to the shower to get ready.

About half an hour later, he got down finding a clearly irritated red-haired in waiting.

"I said fifteen!"

"Umm…sorry, I couldn't really comprehend what you were saying, so, it took me time to catch up, clean up, dress up and get down here."

Gaara sighed and started walking. "It doesn't matter, anyways. I'm Sabaku Gaara, just call me Gaara. I'm the vice-president here. Responsible for the students' affairs within the dorm. If you have any complain, any inquiry or questions, you're free to ask me. I'll be of help."

"Oh, thanks. I do have a question right now. Where are we going?"

"Firstly, I'll be taking you for a tour around the dorm and get you familial with your new grounds and then I'm taking you to the cafeteria where you'll learn about the times for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Please pay close attention to what I'll be saying because I don't like to repeat myself twice."

Naruto nodded and allowed the other to lead the way as the foreign maze that seemed so big and huge to his eyes the previous day, unfolded into spacious, exquisite, well demarcated areas. He smiled when his knowledge about his new surroundings came to light. Gaara didn't appear like a bad guy to him either, yes, he was a bit uptight and maybe needed a couple of pills to relax him here and there, but he was an alright guy.

Something that he still didn't know applied to his roommate or not. He'd intended the previous night to get to know the other as soon as he wakes up, but now, as he was being introduced to new people, and was making his way to the cafeteria, that thought had to wait its sweet time to arise.

"So, how is he treating you?"

"Did he start throwing iron at you, yet? Because he has a pretty good hand when it comes to throwing stuff!"

"I would say to watch his tongue! That's the worst quality he has. He can really break you using it!"

"Yeah, I agree with that. So, you still didn't tell us, what did he do to you?"

Gaara hushed the two excited males as they started pushing a clearly dumb founded Naruto for answers, and steered them away from them. When the two males were out of their eyes sight, Naruto allowed his questions to be asked.

"Ummm, Gaara, what were they taking about?"

"Nothing. Petty gossip. You need not to concern yourself with it."

"It didn't sound like that though, who were they taking about?"

"No one. Ignore those two. Nothing they say is useful."

They took a detour coming straight into the big glassy doors of the cafeteria, Naruto's eyes scanned through the big fallacious, neat place. The floor sparkled with bright red and yellow colours, and the walls took a calming orange-ish hue, it wasn't like your normal cafeteria where everything smelled like shit and food was the last thing you'd think of ordering. It was the complete opposite actually, anywhere he looked, he would be met with a beautiful, weird design, and even the benches made for students to sit on looked awfully comfortable.

Naruto eyed a group of students sitting with books surrounding them. Before he asked, Gaara answered him.

"Those are Med-students. I don't advise you to interact with them today since they have upcoming exams, and most likely won't be very friendly."

The blond sweat dropped when a glare was given to him from one of the girls sitting on that table. He quickly looked away, taking Gaara's warning to heart. A few instructions were given to him, and he was taught about the system of this dormitory. About who was in charge and about how he needed to maintain a level of control over his timetable as not to miss out on the specific days where trash was taken, or room patrol was occurring.

After assuring the dorm vice-president that he'd memorized everything that needed to be memorized, and that he would make sure not to break any of the stern rules he was given, Naruto was left to get back to his room. As soon as he was sure he was inside his room's protective walls, Naruto released a loud sigh.

It wasn't that he didn't like the little tour he was given, it was just that there were so many things he needed to abide by, and since young he was never that good with following rules.

Naruto made his way inside through the small hall and before he could reach his bed, a dark shadow blocked his path. He blinked the light away and looked as a tall, pale-complexioned, apparently annoyed male glared daggers at him. He blinked again.

"H-Hello…?"

"Get the fuck out!"

It took his brain a while to catch up, and when it did, he furred his brows thinking that he might've entered the wrong room because he wasn't paying attention, but glancing at the bed behind the pissed off male, Naruto found his stuff present, crossing the idea that he'd entered the wrong room.

"Excuse me?"

"Didn't you hear me, you little shit?! I said to get the fuck out! Take your shit with you and leave!"

His furred brows were matched with scowling features, Naruto responded. "If I'm not mistaken, this is my room. I paid money to live here. Why should I get out?"

"Because you're not welcome in here."

"This _is_ my room. There is no such thing as being welcomed into my own place."

"Yes, there is. And I decide it. Now, take your pretty little ass and get the fuck out." The annoyed male grabbed Naruto's bag that was lying on the ground and threw it on his face.

Luckily, the blond was able to catch it – since he'd unpacked everything the previous night so it was light as a feather.

"Excuse me, but this is not the behavior of an adult person!"

A snort was given to him, and even though Naruto was trying with every part in his body not to flame and to maintain a composed exterior, the dick before him was making that a very hard task to have done.

"Look here, chibi, last night, I felt sorry for your ass so I allowed you to sleep the night. But now, you're leaving. So, you better leave by peace before I wreck your bones!"

And that control Naruto worked so hard to preserve, snapped. He threw his bag over the Ass's head having it hit his bed after "Now look here, you jerk! I don't know what your problem is, but I'm not going anywhere! This is my fucking room and if you don't like it and want a fight, I'll give you the best damn fight you've never seen!"

"Huh? You think you can land anything on me, Dobe? Think again!"

Naruto dodged the punch that was coming his way. And tried one of his own, but the male before him was sharp to his moves. They began a series of fistfights, kicks and brawls. Neither wanted to give up for the other and even though the other male had the advantage of the extra centimeters he was taller than Naruto with, Naruto wasn't about to give up.

The black haired male tackled Naruto from his feet causing him to thud loudly on the ground and then hopped on top of him, but Naruto delivered a swift punch to his stomach and took the chance to reverse their positions. He was about to land himself a black eye when their room's door flickered open and the girl that he saw glaring at him from her table in the cafeteria came running inside with a death glare on her strange lilac eyes.

"What the fuck do you think you are doing, you two?!"

Naruto blinked in puzzlement not following through with the reason she was so upset. "…Umm…fighting?"

"Which is strictly forbidden, stupid! Sasuke, he is new so he doesn't know, but you fricking know better! Why the fuck are you fighting with him?!"

"Neji, stay out of this, it's not your business."

"Oh, bet your stinking ass it is! With you wrecking this place down I can't even concentrate on my studies! I have three whole references that I still didn't even open and the exam is in a week! Hear me, fuck? One lousy week! How do you expect me to understand a single thing when you're killing each other above my head?!"

"Che…he started it. I told him to get out but he wanted to fight instead!"

"Hey! That's not how it had happened! He wanted to kick me out! From my own room, and _he_ threatened _me_!"

The lovely, long, black haired girl put her elegant long fingers on her forehead not wanting to hear who started what on this childish fight.

"You, the new kid, get off of him." Naruto didn't know why those ordering lilac orbs frightened him right about this moment, but they did and he obeyed them. "And you, Ass, suck this shit up. There is no way I'm letting you room in this room all by yourself. He is your new roommate. So, just live with it. And stop trying to pick fights with him, either. I want some peace and quiet!"

The black haired male that was known now as Sasuke, rolled his eyes and crossed his arms not liking what he was being told. "He will not last a day, Neji."

"Yes, he will!" The blond was surprised when the beautiful girl walked towards him and put her hands on his shoulders. "Listen to me, whatever he does to you, ignore it. This is your room; don't ever allow him to kick you out!"

"…I wasn't about to."

"Good!" The long haired raven called behind his back. "Gaara!"

Naruto blinked when the redheaded teen that was accompanying him a few minutes ago popped out from behind the door, with a passive look on his face.

"Yes?"

"Take him to the doctor's office. Have his wounds tended to and only leave him when you make sure he is alright."

"Understood." Gaara signaled his finger to Naruto to follow him. "Come."

"Huh? Me? Why? I'm alrigh-"

"No, you're not. You're bleeding and if you were fighting I don't know what you might've hit your head with…"

"Nah…I didn't hit my head or anything, he looks in a worse condition than I."

Sasuke snorted at him and Naruto sent a glare in return. Neji sighed and started walking towards the door, "If you don't want to go, it's your choice, but if you get down with anything later today, I don't want to hear anything about it!"

Frowning at the words he was left with, Naruto closed the door behind the two retreating backs. He felt his insides flip when he was met with glaring black eyes, he glared back.

"What are you looking at?"

"Hn."

Naruto watched as the nasty male pushed him aside and went inside the bathroom. And then that familiar feeling he'd when he first read the nameplate beside the door, kicked back inside his brain and he thought as he placed his fingers under his chin, making his way towards his bed.

_Have I met him somewhere before?_

* * *

**Thank you all for reading! The second chapter will be up when I finish it. I'll be waiting for your reviews! **


	2. Chapter Two

**Author's Notes:**

**Don't have a lot to say this time really, just thanks for all of the support you all are giving me ^_^. I loved reading the reviews. And thanks to my Beta, XxDreaming of RealityxX, for her work on editing this chapter. I'll leave you now to read to your heart's content! Enjoy~**

* * *

"Oh my God, Naruto! What the hell happened to you?"

Naruto gave his best friend a smile assuring her that nothing had happened to him and that he was perfectly fine. But from the look of her big horrified eyes, his smile wasn't doing the job he assigned it to do.

"I'm fine, Sakura-chan, calm down."

"How do you want me to calm down when you've all these bruises on your body?! What on earth happened?!"

"Well," he started thinking of the right words to tell her without having the whole subject blow up on his face, "I had a small fight with my roommate."

"What? Your roommate? The expensive-named guy?"

"I really do not like you remembering him like that. And yes, him."

Sakura scowled and took a sip from the cocktail she was having, already calming down that the reason wasn't some rapist thinking that her beautiful boy's ass needed his big fat dick. "Why were you fighting with him? You haven't even spent one single _week_ together!"

"Yeah, that's the point; he wanted to kick me out. It seems like he didn't want a roommate to being with, but by rule, the dorm doesn't allow boys to room alone. Everyone needs to have a roommate. So, he wanted me to leave, and I refused…which led us to fighting."

Her scowl deepened and her cocktail remained on the table, untouched. "That's a very silly reason for your fight. Can't he just buy the whole room if he wanted it? Like pay your share and his. He can save himself the trouble of kicking you out then."

Naruto nodded at her and smiled when his pizza was brought. "Apparently, the dormitory doesn't work like that, either. You can't buy the other's share. You either have a room with a roommate or no room at all."

"Then he should just go to another dorm if he doesn't like this one's rules. Not to fight you!"

"I can't argue with you there, since I don't know his reasons for staying in a dorm that he doesn't like. But it's not like he was the first one igniting the fight…I had a hand in it, too."

"Naruto," she sighed, "You know better than to get yourself into fights. Remember what the doctor said? Your legs are functioning normally for now, but you must refrain from all sorts of hard training if you want them to recover fully."

The blond took a bite from his pizza, "Yes, I understand that, but he was just making me so mad, Sakura! I know it's not something to feel proud of, but when I was fighting him, I momentarily had the pleasure to block the world out and focus only on beating his snobbish ass off. Which, by the way, felt extremely good!"

"But you're not going to do it again…right?"

He shrugged unable to assure her of that. "I don't know. If he becomes determined on trying to get me out, I won't hold anything on my part."

Sakura sighed putting her hands on her face. "This is why I didn't want you to be out there by yourself. On your first day, you're starting a fight."

"It' not that big of a deal, Sakura. You may think that I'm looking bad, but you should see his condition!" A proud Naruto munched happily.

She groaned, slapping him softly on a sauce-covered cheek. "That's what all the idiots say after a fight."

"But you know I'm telling the truth."

"Yeah, yeah…"

Their conversation was cut off as the waiter came back with Naruto's soda, he left with a bow and Sakura helped herself with some of the pizza.

"Um…Sakura-chan, I want to ask you something, have you ever felt like you know a person when you haven't met them before?"

"You mean, like déjà vu?"

"It can be close to it, but no. This obnoxious Uchiha Sasuke I've been telling you about, well…you see, I think I've met him somewhere before…in some kind of distant past, but I just can't remember where, or when."

"You sure or just speculating?"

"It's just a feeling, so…I'm speculating. But…it's a very strong feeling."

"Maybe you saw him in a bus or he was walking beside you on the street, or something?"

Naruto dismissed the words with his hands, taking cover when the sauce was about to drip on his new jeans. "I don't think so, 'cause if I did, I wouldn't have this feeling. I don't think I would even be remembering it. But the feeling I have is that of a person knowing another. Like we've met, talked, and on some level connected together."

"But you can't remember him."

"Exactly. At these times, I resent my bad memory."

Sakura released a coy smile. "I resented it more at the exams."

"Yeah, but I passed in the end."

"No thanks to your memory. We were just lucky that most of their questions relied on understanding more than memorizing. Anyway, why can't you just ask him about it?"

Naruto took a sip from his soda and looked at his female friend as if she was the dumbest person alive. "Sakura, I just told you we had a fight two days ago, and ever since he only releases curse words at my face! Do you honestly believe he's going to listen to a fucking word I say?! And also, if he really does remember me, would his attitude towards me be of one seeing filth under his shoes?!"

"Hmmm…you have a point there."

The blue-eye male released a sigh and got back to his soda. "I want to have a normal conversation with him. But he doesn't want it. What do you think I should do?"

"Let me think…is he hot?"

He raised a blond, think brow at her, not seeing the benefit of such a question. "What's that got to do with anything?"

"Just answer me!"

"Okay. Well, I didn't get the time to stare at him to see if he was hot or not, because stuff always come thrown at me whenever I do, b-"

"Glad to see you've tried. Are you still emphasizing that you're not bi, my dear Naru?"

The blond flicked his friend on the forehead with a roll to his beautiful orbs. "I'm as straight as an arrow, Saku. And you know it! Remember the years I've been crushing on you? And may I remind you also, in third year, elementary school, I was head over heels for Mrs. Howatari? Not to forget other examples, like the nurses in the hospital and-"

"You're missing the point, I said bi, not gay. Bi people swing both ways."

"When did I ever gloat over a guy to have you get this impression?!"

Sakura released a hidden smile and chuckled to herself. "Let me answer this later on, Naru-chan. Now, tell me already, is he hot?"

Frustrated that apparently his best friend thought he was best chasing pants instead of skirts, Naruto answered grumpily. "He could be."

"Then, it's settled. I'm going to introduce myself!"

"Sakura!" He whined. "I asked for a reason to have a decent conversation with him and you're plotting to make him your next boyfriend!"

The pink haired girl winked. "Think of it this way, Naruto. If he becomes my boyfriend, he'll have to be nice to you since you're my best friend and ally, which will mean the solution to all of your troubles!"

"I don't want him to act nice towards me; I want to have one conversation without watching my back for the next object that will be thrown at me from God knows where."

"Then sorry there, bumpkin, that's the best I could think of."

"It's not helping."

She smirked; taking another piece of his pizza and having small daggers sink into her hand from his eyes. Sakura stuck her tongue out. "This is a problem you'll have to figure out the answer to yourself. And think of it as a good training time, for the big, huge, upsetting problems that will surely come flying your way in this independence life you want so much to lead."

And Naruto released a groan that he'd to shush the next minute because the people around him in the cozy diner were looking at him with eyes disapproving the way he showed his emotions so publicly.

* * *

Naruto forced his blue orbs to open up at the noise that was coming from his front door. He tried so hard to ignore it and continue back to sleep, but his little plan wasn't working. Sighing, he got up and, headed to the door. With a pair of annoyed eyes, he clicked the door open. Upon the lump that came falling on his unprepared body, Naruto steadied himself with the wall so that his fall won't hurt as much as it should. With an aching head, he looked at the mess on his lap.

"What the hell?"

A clearly dishevelled Sasuke was straddling him. And the strong smell of liquor was resonating from him. Naruto quickly clammed a hand on his nostrils and tried to shift the drunk away from him. He was taken aback when strong pale arms circled around his midsection; forbidding his movement.

"U-Uchiha-san?"

"Unnmmm…let me…sleep, Naruto."

Naruto felt a lump form in his throat. He had no idea that the other knew exactly what his name was – judging from the fact that they were only insulting each other, besides, there was no nameplate for him, yet. Naruto was keen that he was known to the other as 'The Roommate I Need to Kick Out', not by his definite name. He shook his head, pushing the small, happy feeling he got to the trashcan of his inner mind as his hands worked on the iron bars called hands circulating his midsection.

It was a helpless fight, because apparently, Uchiha here had Superman strength when he was drunk. Ignoring the sane action, Naruto tried to at least deliver them towards the bed, because as much as he liked to just fucking kill the raven and call it an accident, he couldn't, and he had to wake up early tomorrow, so his interrupted sleep had to be compensated for.

He crawled his way to the nearest bed – after closing the door in the fit of a struggle, which to his bad luck was Sasuke's, and tried to climb there again. But, failing the first five times, he gave up and pulled down the pillows alongside the bed sheet and Sasuke's blanket. He tried to reach for his own, but couldn't survive another round of crawling. So, figuring out that Sasuke's blanket would be enough to cover the raven while he makes due with the bed sheet, Naruto lay on the ground, with The Hulk on his midsection.

The hard floor wasn't a comfortable place and sleep was a very hard battle to have won. Naruto heard groaning sounds coming from the male beside him and sighed.

"Okay, I'm going to try doing this only one more time. Because sleeping here is impossible, no matter how much you think it is!" He whispered to an already sleeping raven.

Naruto used all of his extra energy to push himself and Sasuke on top of the bed. He succeeded into getting their upper part on, and only the lower part was left. Mustering yet another gush of energy, Naruto pulled himself up and then Sasuke on the bed. And now did he realize what a bad idea it was, for the bed was extremely narrow to hold them both.

Sasuke's whole length was over Naruto's body, and he was being suffocated, so he tried to move Sasuke, but the body over him started sliding out of the bed, Naruto sweat dropped and quickly returned their former position back. He sighed. It was either being smothered to death, or wake the ass up by having him hit the floor hard.

And even though his nerves were hating the raven, Naruto couldn't find it in his heart to do that to him. So, he ignored his own hidden irritation and started calculating methods in which both of them would be allowed to sleep in peace. And he didn't appreciate the thought that crossed his mind.

"Why must this happen to me?" Naruto glared and spared a soft smack to the sleeping raven, "Why the hell did you decide to get drunk on me tonight?!"

Having only the sound snoring as his answer, Naruto cursed under his breath and fixed them into the only position that would have him sleep tonight. He turned Sasuke to the side next to the wall, getting him to lay on his right side, while he lay on his left side close to the bed's end. And due to the arms around him, he was drawn into an unneeded close proximity to the other.

Sapphire eyes looked with interest at the male sleeping beside them. And it was the first time Naruto got the luxury to see the other this up-close. His tan hands couldn't help but wander to touch. The black hair that had always looked too hard and spiky to the naked eye was in fact really smooth and silky, which informed Naruto how hard it must've been for Sasuke to spike it up the way he did every morning. He removed a lock of hair to get himself the pleasure of looking into Sasuke's face and a warm breeze blew.

Naruto had to hold still when a moan fell from Sasuke's lips and in fear of the other awaking, he retreated his hand. But he'd already removed the locks away; making room for his eyes to gaze without interruption from the other. As he was slowly getting familiar with Sasuke's face, he was struck again with a reminiscing feeling. This was a face he'd seen before. He knew these features. That nose, the curves of the eyes, and the lips. He knew all of them.

But for the love of him, he couldn't remember where he'd seen them before.

The hands holding him drew him closer, and Naruto felt his blood rush to decorate his face as a fine, pink tint resided there; he blinked, finding himself gazing straight into black orbs.

"Naruto…"

"Y-Yes?" Cursing his cracking voice, Naruto cleared, hoping that the other doesn't notice what their close proximity was doing to him. "You need something?"

"Naruto."

"I'm here."

"Bathroom!"

Before the blond could know what's up, he was pushed aside as Sasuke made a wild dash towards the bathroom, leaving a dumbfounded Naruto to do the math. About half an hour later, a grumbling Sasuke came out of the bathroom. He disregarded his clothes and left only his boxers and sneaked back into his own bed.

A second later, he emerged exasperated from the lack of temperature. "Why did you leave?"

Naruto ignored the voice coming from the other bed, and tried to keep his own irritation to a minimum. "I thought you wanted nothing more than to have me leave."

"Stop being a smartass. Why are you on your bed?"

"It's where I should be."

The tan ears picked up on movement from the other side of the room. He tried to act cool and ignore it, but when another body was invading his own territory, Naruto was called to action.

"What are you doing?"

"Sleeping in the same bed with you."

"Why?"

"Heat."

And apparently Sasuke thought that that was a good enough reason to give. Naruto scowled at the way he was being pushed back against the wall in, to have a half-naked Sasuke fit himself beside him.

"There's no need to do this. If it's heat you're seeking, I can warm up your bed for you and then you return there."

"No. it will take time, and I'm already half asleep."

Naruto puffed his cheeks and tried to reason again. "Then at least put on some clothes if you're not planning on returning to your own bed."

"I always sleep without them."

"And you always sleep on your bed."

"Your point?"

"You either go sleep on your bed in your current condition, or sleep here with some clothes on!"

"No and no."

Feeling the other make himself comfortable on his own bed got Naruto's nerves flaring, and the control he was trying to hold on his nerves, loosened. "Why not? It's my bed! I get a say in who sleeps in it and who doesn't!"

"Truthfully speaking, you don't, since this is my room, and you're intruding."

"God! Would you see reality already?! This is my room! You're my roommate! That's your bed, this is mine! Go back to it and leave me alone!"

Naruto was jerked back into the bed when he tried to leave after Sasuke had totally ignored his little fit, causing him to release a loud groan at the tight hold and again, he tried to no avail to break free.

"Why are you doing this?" He said with a surrendering tone.

"I told you, heat."

Naruto snorted. "You want heat, yet you're sleeping naked…don't you see any contradiction there?"

"No. I'm hot. And I want your heat. A few minutes ago, I was sleeping peacefully, which I haven't in a while. And mysteriously, it's due to you."

"So, you're using me merely as your pillow?"

"Correct you are."

"And you think I'll just allow you to do that?"

"Yes, I do."

A vein inside Naruto's forehead popped. "Teme, just who the fuck do you think you are?"

"Uchiha Sasuke. The one and only."

"That means shit in my dictionary!"

The blond felt the grip around his body tighten as he was drawn closer to the other. In the dark of the night, he could sense his blood moving in that same direction it did a few minutes ago. He pushed back against what he thought to be the other's chest, and all he could get himself was a small distance where his body wouldn't be glued to Sasuke's.

He released a sigh and allowed himself to turn into Sasuke's warming pillow. But as the male beside him began drifting off to sleep and the sound voice talking to him ceased to be, Naruto felt a small smile tug at the corner of his lips; because the last thing his eyes saw before he too drifted into heavenly sleep, was the handsome face of his annoying roommate.

"Fart and you're dead…!"

He whispered to the dark.

* * *

Naruto pushed the door open and stepped inside the dorm. He didn't stop the happy grin that flashed on his face when the cold flow of the AC hit his hot body, nor did he stop the little happy-dance he felt obligate to give when feeling it. These days, summer was really killing him. It was what now, March? And the sun was only getting hotter and hotter. He blocked all the heat as his stomach grumbled, clearly asking for food, and thus headed to the cafeteria.

There, his eyes spotted a mop of redhead and, smiling, he identified it as Gaara's hair. Over the last few days, he'd come to find out certain things about this Gaara. Firstly, he was a person of few words; secondly, he was studying Fine Arts. To Naruto, he'd no idea how the other was going to make a living with that career in this harsh world, but as long as Gaara was pleased with what he was doing, Naruto couldn't say a thing. Upon reaching the table Gaara was in, Naruto saw black hair sprayed on the redhead's lap, connecting to the long haired female he knew as Neji. Naruto grinned at the sweet picture, and said in a lovely tone.

"Hello."

"Hi."

As not to wake up the apparently still sleeping girl, Naruto asked with a quiet tone. "How did her exam go?"

It was all extremely too quiet for a second, in which Gaara had given him some strange looks while blinking his eyes that had finally returned to their normal status of passiveness after a while. The jade orbs asked a question that was verbalized in a very refined way by the pink, rosy lips.

"'_Her_'?"

Naruto nodded, not understanding what was going on, he pointed to the human being on Gaara's lap. "Yes. Her exam. I remember her barging into our room that other day complaining that she couldn't study with Sasuke and I fighting."

"Sasuke? You're calling him Sasuke? Since when?" Before Naruto could answer, Gaara held up his hands stopping him. "But before you answer me those questions, first thing's first, 'she' is a 'he'. Neji is a male." The shock was evident on Naruto's eyes, but Gaara continued. "If I were you, I wouldn't publicly call him a 'she', Neji may not look it, but when he gets pissed, nothing can stop him."

"…I…I thought…because of the hair, his eyes…and because he is-"

"Beautiful?" Naruto nodded. "Yes, we've all made that mistake once in the past. But Neji doesn't like to be mistaken for a girl. Even though with his hair, it's misleading as hell. He still doesn't like it."

"Thanks for the warning. I'll make sure not to mention it again."

Gaara nodded at the blond as he left to his own path, and the raven lying on his lap opened a pair of closed eyes.

"Why didn't you tell him I was awake?"

"Why didn't you act as if you were awake?"

"I didn't want to spook him seeing as how you've portrayed me as nothing but a monster." Neji retorted, not liking the words his friend had chosen to describe him.

"And I didn't want him to get the wrong idea about you. You are a monster, Neji."

The long haired male removed himself off of the other and rolled his eyes. "Would you at least try to hide it? Even if that's the truth, don't tell it to my face."

"Yet, the reason you like me so much is because I never tell lies."

"That doesn't mean I appreciate your truths always."

"Sure you do."

Neji stopped trying to reason with the other, because he'd known from the first day he'd met Gaara in that trying to have reason in a conversation with the latter was close to impossible. The only way to function around Gaara was to throw away both your mind and sanity and enter his realm. For that was how you could interact with a genius.

"Anyway, don't you think that Sasuke's been quiet this past week?"

"I thought you wanted him to quiet down?"

"Yeah…but it's a fishy-quietness. Even Uzumaki Naruto hasn't said anything about being pestered to get out of the room. Something just isn't sitting right with me on this one."

"Would it be unbelievable to assume that Sasuke has finally met up with his match?"

Neji pondered this for a second then hopped out of the chair. "It could be a possibility, nothing is impossible if you're alive."

"Where're you going?"

"There is something I have to check. It's bugging me for a while. You want to tag along?"

Gaara shook his head uninterested. "I'll have to pass on your wild goose chase this time, Neji."

"Suit yourself."

"Don't be late."

"Missing me?"

"Certainly, I won't. It's irrational to miss you when I know you're going to return."

Neji smiled at his best friend and circled an arm around his neck drawing their faces close. "Gaara, darling, why haven't you learned anything from all of these years we've been together? The chances of my return will always be fifty-fifty. So, you shouldn't hook your feelings on probabilities."

"No, it's perfectly fine to hook them on probabilities. Since with this, the chances of me missing you are fifty-fifty. Which is better than the initial zero."

The raven pulled his hand away after stealing a kiss from Gaara's lips; sticking his tongue out when there was no change in the other's features.

"You know, it would be nice if your face changed a little."

"What for? You merely touched my lips."

"Precisely, that's why you have to feel…well, tell you what, we're going to discuss this when I get back, I'm running late. See you later, darling~"

Gaara rose from the chair he was occupying and headed towards his room, muttering in a hushed tone.

"Back to zero again, Neji."

* * *

A pair of blue orbs looked with suspicion at the other black orbs watching him. Naruto crossed his arms, alarmed when the other male known as Sasuke heaved a sigh and walked with calm steps towards his puzzled self. With a pair of aggravating eyes, he asked.

"Do you know how to play Tennis?"

"Huh?"

"Tennis, yes or no?"

"Umm…I have only played Table Tennis before."

Sasuke looked Naruto up and down and another sigh escaped his mouth. "There's no other way around it. Get ready, you're tagging along in a Tennis match with me."

"But…But I've never played it before."

"It's the same as Table Tennis; just hit the ball when you get it as hard as you can. Never mind about the other rules, just abide by one rule only, try to hit the ball right into the other team member's face."

Naruto frowned at the words and something inside him told him that that's not how Tennis was played, but to be invited to spend a day with Uchiha Sasuke –regardless of what he was meant to do, was progress enough telling him that he wouldn't be thrown out the next minute he lowered his guard down.

"Where are we going?" The blond questioned as he followed behind Sasuke into what seemed like a very expensive looking BMW. Naruto gaped like a fish out of water. "I-Is this yours?"

"Get in, Dobe."

"Yes, sir!" Naruto's eyes sparkled at the leathery seats and he stopped his mouth from drooling, just how could a person as bad as Sasuke get a beautiful ride as fantastic as a BMW?! It was past his comprehension.

"Okay, listen here, Blondie. We'll be going to a place I hate, and will mingle with people I hate, but it's a must. And you'll act as my assistant, I repeat, not my friend, not my colleague, but my assistant. Everything you're asked, you're going to answer with a platonic 'everything will be explained later' or if the other party is persistent, you just show them a business-like smile and try to wriggle free with a change of topics! Understand me?"

"…Umm…where are we going again?"

Sasuke's eyes burned with a feeling that had Naruto hold tight to his seat belt and he said. "To a place where demons are conceived. A business party."

Naruto's 'eep' was ignored alongside his demand to be released from the car and his wish to not get mixed with the other's troubles.

* * *

Tanned hands shook as their owner put them close to his face, still shivering. The whole day was a complete disaster in his sight. He was totally ill prepared for the party Sasuke had dragged him into and without any intention on his part, he had hit the ball too hard and in fact caused a certain businessman to break his nose and fracture his leg. Naruto shook the memory away.

"Here." A cold beverage was put on his cheek; Naruto nodded his thanks and took it. "You did perfect today."

"I hurt a person. What's perfect in that?"

"That fat pig wasn't even human. He deserved it."

Naruto frowned at the male sitting beside him and took a look at where they were. In fact, after the incident with the man being taken to the hospital and the group of foreign people that he'd no idea about were looking at him with disapproving eyes at the public display of animosity, Naruto had entered himself into a coma initiated by his anxiety attack. He didn't get one per say, but he'd come up with a mechanism to stop it before it hit, and that was through the blockage of everything around him and remaining oblivious to the world.

So, when was he taken out? And where was he currently at? All of the answers to these questions were held by the male beside him. As his cerulean eyes scanned the area, he saw a green grass and a fountain behind them, Naruto came up with the conclusion that they were in some kind of a park. But still, he needed to confirm.

"Where are we, anyway?"

"On the local park, three blocks behind the dorm. And from your reaction, I'd say this is your first time coming here."

"Yes it is…I don't really go out all that much."

"Hn. I presumed so."

"…Sasuke, mind if I ask you something?"

"Yes, I do. Because, _Uzumaki_, it's _Uchiha_ to you, not _Sasuke_. Don't get too familiar just because I took you with me for entertainment."

Naruto crossed his arms with a roll to his eyes. "Look here, _Uchiha_, you were the _first_ one who broke the _first_ barrier calling me 'Naruto', without any honorifics whatsoever. Not to forget the fact that I had just injured another human being for your ass's sake! The least you can do is act nice!"

Black orbs frowned as their owner raised a thin brow at the mess beside him. "When, on fuck's sake, did I drop the honorifics between us?"

"When you were passed out fucking drunk three nights back! I had to care for your petty wimps and what I got was a big fat barf on my bed the next morning!"

Naruto felt chills run down his spine upon remembering the events that had taken place. That day was a part of his history that he wanted to wipe clean. The view to wake up on a stinky bed with his half side all drenched in Sasuke's stomach's leftovers was one that had him on the verge of releasing his own stomach's leftovers, as well.

On the other side, Sasuke had no memory whatsoever about this. All he could remember was him getting forced to accompany a work associate on a drinking spree to lighten the airs around them and then he was driven back. The rest was complete darkness. He did remember waking up on Naruto's bed, but he was too late and had to run to his late classes before he missed them, so, he didn't think too hard about it.

But now that he did, maybe there was a trace of barf on his face…and Naruto's bed.

"Just, what did I do that night?"

Naruto looked up at the other and the moonlight had his heart go 'thump, thump'. Sasuke was standing in a way, leaning forward to catch his words, with the hair that he'd come to realize as silky soft hugging both his cheeks in a way that made the creature beside him look extremely attractive. Suddenly, the events of that night came rushing through his veins and Naruto felt his tips grow cold, and his face start to flare.

"…Nothing."

Sasuke blinked when the blond started to clearly shy away from him. His desire to find out about what had happened had only increased.

"That reaction of yours tells me that it wasn't a 'nothing'."

Naruto turned his head away and clicked open the cold beverage on his hands that was starting to match the temperature of his own tips, trying to distract himself from the sudden change of atmosphere.

"Yes it was. The only thing you did was call me by my given name and drop any barriers between us…"

"Are you sure that's all there's to it?"

"Perfectly sure!"

"Then, what was I doing on your bed?"

Naruto took a sip from the can in hand and answered. "…You came there to sleep."

Sasuke raised a brow. "Sleep?"

"Yes."

"I have my own bed for that purpose."

"Don't you think I know that, asshole?"

"Then why did you leave me in your bed?"

Naruto, frustrated by all of these questions, stood up and looked the raven straight in the eyes. "I tried to push you back to your bed, reason with your drunken ass, but it didn't help anything. You were as stubborn as a mule! Claiming to want heat and how it's impossible to sleep without heat or whatever…so, from the goodness of my heart and the fact that it was too late to fight with a drunken ass, I allowed you to sleep on my fucking bed! Just to wake the next morning seeing how bad of an act that was."

Sasuke was taken aback by the sudden blow up and blinked the words to absorb them. By the time he came to it, the blond was out of his sight. He started searching for him having not settled yet with what was said to him and had to stop his own anger at being walked away from to have confusion settle in its place at the blond that was sprayed on the fresh green grass, pouting.

"What are you doing?"

"Mowing the lawn! What do you think I'm doing?!"

"At this particular point, I have no idea." Sasuke heard a sound close to Naruto blowing some air, and continued in a straight face. "What are you doing?"

"…Help me up."

At the faint, soft tone, Sasuke's mouth closed from all smartass comments and swiftly he carried Naruto up from the ground bridal style. The blond gulped at the sudden movement and when sounds from people passing them reached his ears alongside some giggles, he opened his mouth to object.

"I will drop you when we get to the car, so shut it."

And that was the reply he got.

Naruto held his tongue until they arrived to the fancy BMW and when he was put inside the passenger's seat, with Sasuke taking the driver's seat, he said in a strained voice that didn't appreciate being seen in such a situation.

"I strained a muscle."

"I didn't ask."

"I don't want you to think that I tripped or something. Since I didn't."

"I still didn't ask. And you don't have to justify anything to me. Even if you did trip."

Naruto didn't know why those words were like knives being stabbed right into his heart or why he felt like smashing Sasuke's face for this cold shoulder he was giving him, but he did, and he'd no way into explaining it. He took a deep breath, trying to ease all of these emotions running through him at the moment, and released it out.

"Uchiha…about the question I wanted to ask earlier and you threw a big tantrum over it, like a three year old-"

"I'd say you were the one throwing tantrums."

"Anyhow, did we meet before? I can't shake off the feeling that I had met you in a place before now…" Naruto said with his eyes furrowing together. He wasn't prepared though when the car's breaks made an abrupt stop and the sounds of horns going off was reaching his ears. He blinked.

"…I can't believe it, you really don't remember."

"Remember what?"

"Never mind," Sasuke started the car again and continued back to the highway, lowering his window to shout some curse words back to the other drivers who thought that only them were taught the language of streets. "If you don't remember, it wasn't important enough."

Putting the small malice aside, Naruto frowned at the other male. "Wait here just a second. Are you saying that we _have_ met?"

"No, we haven't. Keep on forgetting."

"Your words and behaviour indicates that we have an-"

"We haven't! End of subject, Uzumaki!"

"To hell with me shutting up! Had we met before and I'm forgetting it, tell me! It's not like I have a perfect memory to remember everything that had happened or every person I've had met!"

"Would you can it already?! It obviously wasn't important enough of a memory to have store inside your stupid, airheaded, happy-go-lucky-ideas-filled brain! So, stop saying anything!"

"Bu-"

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!"

At this, Naruto pouted and kept his mouth shut. Apparently whatever he'd forgotten was something important to Sasuke…err…Uchiha. And now that he'd made sure that he had _indeed_ crossed paths with the asshole at some point in his past, he'd just have to identify which point in history that was, and how hard could that be? He was trapped within the hospital walls for over two years, then one and a half year after in Sakura's house. And before, he was living with his father…'till the stupid accident took place.

So, he just needed to think back logically into one of those periods and Google his brain for Uchiha.

Naruto moaned at the idea.

* * *

"I still can't understand what I'm doing here." Gaara voiced as soon as he'd arrived into the cozy looking café.

Naruto smiled truthfully to him and handed the other the menu. "You see, I'm kinda new in the area, and I only have female friends close by. But, as much as I love them, none of them would be interested into coming with me to check out the fine cafés here."

"And I would be?"

"Umm…you seemed like you would. Just look at this café, I chose it especially because you're coming with me! It has different paintings by different painters, and even the layout is attractive, you can't tell me you're not fascinated by it?!" Naruto exclaimed in excitement.

Gaara spared a glance to the place he was currently in then responded to Naruto's enthusiasm. "Certainly, it's very catching. But was this the only reason you brought me along? I can't bring myself to believe that."

Naruto looked sideways and then to the sharp green orbs before him. "Well…there is also another reason."

"Carry on."

"I want you to tell me about Uchiha Sasuke."

"Do you want to change rooms?"

Naruto raised a thin brow. "Change rooms? Who mentioned anything about that?"

"I just assumed…but…never mind, why do you want to know about him?"

"Well, I knew you were going to ask me that…and even though I had planned a series of well-webbed lies, I can't bring myself to lie to you," Naruto played with the napkins on the table, "So, here's the truth. It appears I've met Uchiha Sasuke in a point of my life, which I still can't define. He knows this and remembers me. But unfortunately, I don't, which for some strange reason pisses him off…"

Gaara was silent for a while, then he spoke in a clam tone. "Do you feel like you've met him before?"

"Yes. A nostalgic feeling. But as I said, my head can't remember him."

"And you said he is pissed because of this?"

"Yes. Yesterday, we had an extremely stupid fight."

"The whole floor knows."

Naruto sweat dropped at the remark and nodded shyly. "Yeah, sorry about that. But, the reason for the fight was very silly, you see, Sasuke has left the iron on without switching it off, I switched it off, but he came back and started yelling on how it wasn't my right to touch his stuff, I rationalized that I didn't want us to burn to death alive because of his stupid slip…one thing led to another, and we ended up fighting."

"A silly reason indeed."

"See! It was his fault! I was only trying to help him a little and all I got was his stinking breath shouting up my face!"

"Naruto-san, may-"

"Naruto is alright, we're about the same age, there's no need for honorifics here."

"Then as I stated in our first meeting, call me Gaara."

"That I will!" Naruto beamed at him.

"So, as I was saying, Naruto, the information I know about Sasuke Uchiha isn't that much and I don't think they can help your memory, if that is what you want them to do."

"Well, at this point, I really just need basic knowledge about him. Like how old he is, what major he is and why he's so determined on having the whole room to himself?!"

Gaara nodded and spoke his order to the waitress who beamed at being given the table with the two hot guys, and then returned to his conversation with Naruto after the blond's demand has been taken also.

"He is twenty years old. A third year in Management School. He was extremely brilliant that he could combine his first and second years into one year and pass it with flying colours. As far as I know, he runs his own company on the side, and therefore, he is excused from attending some classes…"

"Wait, he has his own company?"

"It appears so."

Naruto scowled putting his hands under his chain to support his head as he leaned forward. "Then, he's rich?"

"Yes."

"If he's so rich, why not get a house somewhere or a Villa for all I care instead of trying to smother me out of this tiny room?! Why is he so persistent on staying here if he can afford better?"

"I can only tell you a theory I have developed, but the solid truth is something he only can say. What I believe is that Uchiha Sasuke is afraid of big empty spaces. He can't stand living in a big place by himself, so, he booked himself this room in the dorm, to be surrounded by people twenty four seven."

"If he likes people so much, why try to axe every person who wants to roommate with him?"

"I didn't say he likes people; I said he is afraid of remaining in big places by himself. His reasons for trying to kick you and his previous roommates out is because, and again I'm only speculating here, he can't trust anyone. And you can't live with people you can't trust."

"But how can he know that he can't trust a person when he never gave anyone a chance?"

"In the past, he did. About three times actually, and they'll had turned out to be wanting either him doing them a favour or to get some of his money. It was hard for him to trust after that, so, he turned to the alternative, which was distrusting and trying to eliminate the enemy before the enemy could eliminate him."

"And the enemy is his roommate?"

"In a sense, yes."

Naruto rolled his eyes at the messed up psych and thanked the cute waitress as she placed his Jamaican Mocha on the table before him. "He can't judge me based on what they've done. I'm different!"

"He doesn't know that."

"He didn't even give me a chance to demonstrate my good will! From day one, he was kicking and screaming."

"And you didn't shut up, either." Naruto grimaced at this, Gaara continued. "Look, I may be coming off as forceful here, but I think you're the only person able to help him, help Sasuke out of the little, scary, distrustful world he is living in."

"I…I don't think I can. He hates me."

"He doesn't hate you. If he did, he wouldn't get pissed off that you'd forgotten all about him."

Something inside the blond flew at those words and he tried to hide the small happy smile that tried so hard to appear on his lips but it was a case lost miserably.

"Naruto. Stop me here if I'm incorrect, but do you want to get closer to him? Regardless of what we want you to do."

"Get closer to him?"

"Yes. For starters, becoming friends, and we'll see from there…"

"I…well, the idea itself doesn't sound so bad, but, it will be very hard to stop him from viewing me as the enemy enough to want to be friends with me."

"On that notion, have no fear. I have a plan that will assure us that Uchiha Sasuke will cease to view you as someone that needs to be killed!"

At the evil smirk that suddenly came over the always nonchalant face, Naruto felt his blood that was now scented with the sweet scent of Mocha shudder at the plan that was sure, to change something inside of Sasuke…and on some level; he knew he was going to be changed, as well.

* * *

**Alrightie~ Chapter two is done! Review, I'll be waiting! :D **


	3. Chapter Three

**Author's Notes:**

**Thanks to all of you who had reviewed, followed or favorite, I hope you continue supporting me until the end. Now, about this chapter, it took a little too long into finishing up, and it's my fault, because I was too busy to finish it. But I have. And it's here! So, sorry for the long wait! And thanks to my Beta, XxDreaming of RealityxX, for the edits she'd made. Read and enjoy, as always~**

* * *

"Are you sure about this?" Naruto asked nervously, looking at the weird outfit he was being made to wear.

"If this doesn't work, then I'll give half of my next month's salary to you." A proud Gaara explained.

"But…" Naruto twirled around the mirror as a fluffy white tail copied his motion. He frowned at the dark tight leather pants and the turtle-necked, leather sleeveless shirt that barely reached to cover the area above his naval. "How will I, being dressed in something like this, have him stop being pissed about me forgetting about him?"

"You will, when he sees you in this, he'll forget everything…hopefully, even his ability to form words."

"But, Gaara, this looks a bit…umm…sexy?" Naruto blushed as his buttocks shone back at him from the mirror.

Gaara rose from the bed he was occupying and ran a hand through his long red hair, thinking momentarily about how he needed to go pay a visit to his favourite barber, then pulled something from the drawer beside the huge mirrors Naruto had suddenly found himself surrounded by, and said…

"Here, wear this."

A pair of fluffy bunny ears was given to him. The blond sweat dropped at them.

"What's this?"

"Ears."

"I can see that just fine. Why do you want me to wear them?"

"Because they are your ears."

Naruto felt that uneasy feeling that he'd felt when the redhead first suggested the plan, knock on his memory's door once again; he voiced. "…Okay, this is where I'll have to draw a line to preserve what's left of my manhood and say a definite, NO!"

"It's a bit late for your heroine stand. Take it."

"No. Gaara, look, I consider myself opened minded to about everything. I didn't say anything when I was made to wear this like a googol, but I refuse to wear the ears! This is when you have to go get yourself a new toy!"

Gaara rolled his eyes and sighed. "You're not a toy. And I'm doing this to help you out, now wear it; you're not going to die from it!"

"I won't, but I'll lose what's left of my dignity, besides, I don't understand how dressing me like a bunny-whore is going to win me the dick's friendship. I'm not seeking his pants!"

Gaara sighed and put a hand on his temple. "I guess I'll need to explain myself to you."

"Yes, you do!"

The redhead looked for the simplest way that he could tell the other his thoughts without any complications, because it appeared –according to Neji, that others didn't really understand his words and his logic when he didn't simplify it for them. So, thinking that he'd found the best mean, he opened his mouth to speak.

"Alright. What are we trying to do?" He asked rhetorically, "We're trying to have Sasuke break the barrier he has around his heard alienating you and confess his mutual desire to be friends with you. Yes, I do believe he also wishes to be on good terms with you," Gaara paused at the small smile that appeared on the other's mouth, then continued, "And for this to succeed we'll have to have him drop his guard to loosen the walls around him, which is very hard. Yet, there's only one way for that to happen. Males tend to drop their guards around females. And that's what we'll take advantage of."

Naruto's eyebrows linked in a state of confusion and he tried to move to a sitting position but the leather pants that apparently were too very tight forbade that small action from happening, so, he ignored it, and leaned back on the wall, giving his attention to the redhead. "Last time I checked, I wasn't a she."

"I said, we'll take advantage. How do females control males? Easy, by pheromones. And we'll just need to have you emit them, or to at least make Sasuke believe that you're emitting them."

"Isn't that just like cheating him? And what will happen if this pheromones business is to escalate? I mean, I'm not looking into a rape-waiting-to-happen, am I?"

"First, technically, we're not cheating, but even if we are, everything is well in war and love…or so they say. And don't worry, even if he wanted to rape you, Sasuke wouldn't do it, he is a jerk, but has certain morals, and if you don't desire it, he won't touch you."

"Gaara, I have a question here."

"Be my guest,"

"Why don't you sound bothered by all of this? Don't you feel even the tiniest bit disgusted?"

"Is there a reason for me to be disgusted?" A fine red brow was raised.

"Well, I just thought you'd be against boy and boy interactions seeing as h-"

"As how I appear to others?"

Naruto nodded with a blush of embarrassment. "I didn't mean to come off as offensive, but you look too strict and a bit uptight."

"Hmm…it's not offensive. I've had it told to me a multiple of times. But it doesn't upset me, even if you view me as such, it's your opinion and you're entitled to have one, as I'm entitled to have my own. And regarding this business, I'd assume you're referring to 'gay-business', right?"

The blond nodded; finally feeling his legs give up on him, and ignoring his pride, he walked towards the bed and allowed his aching muscles a rest. "Yes, doesn't it bother you if two males got together?"

"It's not really my business to have it bother me or not. And I never cared much about it. I'd say I didn't even have interest in anything in life let alone the gay-society."

"And you're still feeling that way?"

"Hmm…well, I think my view might have changed a bit. I had always figured them as stereotypes, feminine, unable to function right in life, and losing themselves in sex. But then I met one of them – a gay person who could spot fun in everything, he was brilliant. Could ace everything he did, and it seemed to him as if he was born to have fun. And I was intrigued by him."

"Can I take it as a reason why you came to like it?"

"I don't like it. I'm indifferent to it. Males or females. They only differ in one thing, one of them has the ability to produce children and the other cannot. It only comes down to one thing in the end, if you have feelings for the other party or not, gender doesn't really play a role in feelings, since we're all the same in that notch."

"So, you're saying that he didn't change your opinion about anything, except the stereotyping?"

Gaara brought a ring out of the nightstand beside his bed and tied his messy locks with it, taking a minute to ruffle a distant lock back to the group, then he answered Naruto. "No, he did change something in me. He showed me a side to life that I didn't know existed. And even though it feels silly of me to say this – since it goes against all the scientific facts known to man – I think I'd lose a part of me if he and I were to go our separate ways."

Naruto released a sweet smile, having lost interest in trying to fight the desire to scratch the leather pants off of his skin.

"Are you in love with him?" The question lingered in the air for a while and Naruto thought that maybe he'd touched a place he shouldn't have or that maybe this particular question was inappropriate of him to ask at this time, so he started to quickly redeem himself. "I'm sorry…if you don't want to answer, I'll understand."

Gaara put a finger under his chin, feeling troubled. "It's not that I don't want to answer, it's just…what makes you think that? Was it the words I used?"

"Huh? Oh…umm…not really, well, a part of it from them…but there was a soft feeling when you were talking about him. I don't know you all that well, but from what I've gathered, I don't think you're one who lets his emotions drive him by the hand."

"Then, you were able to detect love in my tone of voice?"

"Your emotions, yes."

Gaara looked at the ceiling pondering Naruto's words for a while then responded. "Maybe I do have a portion of love within me for him."

"Umm…I don't want you to put ideas inside your head based on my words…maybe you should take this more slowly before you can say anything firm." Naruto soon jumped to say.

"Well," Jade eyes blinked when their owner flipped back on his feet, "That's a matter for tomorrow. Right now, let's see to your problem. Do you understand now why you're dressed that way?"

"Not entirely, but I'll resign to your reasons for the moment and see where they lead me. Still, I have a last question. How will I be sure that what he'll be feeling is desire and not disgust?"

"That, you're going to see it in his face."

And those ears that were taunting him from a far were given to him again. Reluctantly; Naruto reached a tanned hand to take them. "Even though both my heart and mind are telling me that this will be a very bad idea, I'll follow on with what you're offering."

"Good since the mind and the heart are overrated organs."

Naruto just suppressed an inner groan and switched his ears into bunny ones.

* * *

His hands were ice cold and he forced them to cover his tomato resembling face. Naruto felt his stomach grumble as his whole body went inside the blanket and his vision was blinded by his sweaty palms. Okay, this is something that he didn't count for! And if he did, he wouldn't be in such a situation with such a jerk laughing his ass off on the floor two feet away from his bed at him. Naruto knew the moment he agreed to Gaara's little plan that it wasn't such a good plan, and now it was time to pay. Oh lord! Why couldn't he just listen to his warning hunch?!

A fidgety blond peeked a blue orb between his index and middle finger, and the raven was now clutching his stomach trying not to die laughing. Humiliation reminded Naruto of his action…not that he could forget.

He knew he'd never, ever live this one down. And he deserved it!

"Alright! Stop it, already! It was a bad idea!"

"Hah…Idea? Oh God! Haha...I've never laughed so hard before!" A clearly tired of laughing Sasuke forced his laughter to a minimum so he could leave the floor and travel back to his bed, then he said between fits of laughs. "Whatever you were thinking, it amused the hell out of me."

"S-Shut up…it's not the reaction I was supposed to get…" Naruto said, hiding his body more.

"Then," Sasuke started finding the power to sit back on his bed, without rolling on the floor again. "What did you have in mind?"

"…Nothing special."

At the small whisper accompanied with a faint blush that dimly appeared over the hot cheeks, Sasuke's head started racing to reach the idea. "Don't tell me that you thought that by wearing that thing I'd be turned on or something?"

Naruto's ears perked up and he hid further, if possible, inside the blanket. "N-No! Who would want your ass to be turned on, jerk?!"

"Obviously you, and it's not my ass you want on, it's-"

And that's when the blond felt himself sink into blissful humiliation, just like a damn ostrich sinking into pits and pits of smooth sand.

Sounds of his own bed start to sink at intervals away from him had Naruto slowly raising his head to see what was happening. He was taken aback when a lump came over his throat and a very pleased Sasuke continued crawling his way towards him. Naruto moved back by instinct and was in a momentarily state of shock when his back hit the wall. He swallowed the lump hard.

"…Uchi-"

"Hush, its Sasuke…call me Sasuke."

The raven's face was inches away from his and with the way he was being looked at, the possibility of that rape he was so scared of receiving was closing in on him.

"Umm…Sasuke, what are you doing?"

"What you wanted me to do, dressed so lewdly."

Naruto put two tan hands on his chest trying to push the other back. "I think you've gotten the wrong idea here, which I was afraid you would, I want to be friends nothing more!"

Sasuke took the tanned hands away and pinned them on the wall behind Naruto, forcing him to let go of the blanket protecting his bare skin. "We'll be all of that and more after I get my fill."

Naruto blushed at the lust-filled face he was facing, and tried to have the raven back to his senses. "No, not more, hear me! S-Sasuke…it's me, Naruto, the roommate you want to kill, remember me? You can't possibly be lusting over me; I'm a male, too!"

"It didn't stop you from trying to seduce me, and mind me to be the one who blows off that little plan of yours."

"You have to believe me on this one, I wasn't trying to seduce you!"

"Yeah, yeah…and I'm not trying to get into your tight ass right now."

Seeing as how reason was only getting him fucked, Naruto cursed Gaara for forcing him to revolt to such means – but protecting his anus seemed top priority right now, and with sharp teeth, he sunk them into the arm holding his own hostage, then slipped from underneath the covers to stand in the centre of the room, looking down at a confused raven.

"Hey! What did you do that for?"

"Because your ears were too filled with crap to hear what I was trying to say!"

"Fuck what you were trying to say! You don't bite someone who was about to fuck your ass!"

"That's exactly what you do to a rapist!"

"A what? No, no, no, no. You were the one particularly throwing your round ass at me, waggling it in that tight leather!"

"Hey! It wasn't my idea, okay?! And for the umpteenth time, I didn't want to seduce you! I wanted to be friends!"

"Last time I checked, the only friends made in bed are fuck-buddies!"

Naruto puffed his cheeks and placed his hands on his hips, ignoring how totally silly he would appear to anyone who was to walk in on them right now. "I didn't want to turn to it, but you left me no choice. You refused to act like a human and continued being pissed about something in the past without allowing me any chance to defend myself against your words!"

"That's because you were stupid enough to forget me! How do you want me to talk to you after something like that?!"

Naruto was taken aback by the words and blinked at the raven that cursed himself for the slip. He quietly allowed his body to fall back onto Sasuke's bed and muttered under his breaths.

"So, we've met."

"Yes, we have. But you went and forgot all about me, even my face. How stupid, can't even remember seeing someone as good looking as me."

The blond allowed the malice to pass under him, and asked in a tender tone. "If you knew me, why did you act as if you didn't?"

"Because you didn't remember! I wasn't about to make your ass happy that I held onto a memory that you've obviously trashed as unimportant and let you gloat on me!"

A nice frown became resident on Naruto's features, and he corrected the false idea Sasuke had formed on his personality. "I wouldn't gloat on you. There would be no reason for me to do that. I'd be an ass if I did."

"Oh well, I didn't know how you'd turned out in the first place." The raven stood from the other's bed and started walking off, "Anyway, I'm going to take a shower right now and unless you're thinking of taking one with me, I'd advise you to get rid of these clothes."

Naruto stuck his tongue out at the sexy smirk he was given and when he heard the sound of the bathroom door click closed, he allowed himself a minute to breathe. Okay, so his plan had totally backfired on him, but in the mix, he'd destroyed the barrier Sasuke was holding against him. So yeah, maybe Gaara's initial plan hadn't screwed him totally as he's believed it did the second Sasuke started laughing his smirks off, Naruto thought as he walked towards his bed thinking

While he struggled to get the turtle-necked shirt off, he groaned at the zipper that got caught into his hair and it was another damn struggle to get his hair free without having a bold spot appear in the middle of its yellow jungle. Half an hour later found him lying on his bed with the leather pants being peeled off of his skin and a serene smile on his features. Naruto felt a scratching-fire burn at his skin and, without realizing it; he started scratching his legs, cursing whatever came to his mind at that hellish moment he wore that leather at.

Finally, he was back into his comfortable jersey and sweatpants. The reason why people couldn't get their roommate's barriers crushed while wearing normal comforters was beyond his line of comprehension.

The door of the bathroom creaked open and a refreshed looking Sasuke was out. Naruto tried to stop his mouth from smiling, but he couldn't. He'd just achieved something that was agonizing him from the moment he came to know Sasuke, so he'd finally crashed a door down, and was one step closer to his goal.

Sasuke ignored the rays of sunshine that were hitting his bare back and went to shuffle through his clothes for something to cover with.

"Sasuke, I heard that you're in Management, but I have never seen a Management department on campus."

"That's because we don't go to school here, our collage is five blocks to the east. You know the grand park I took you to the other day?"

"Yeah…"

"It's on the same parallel street. One day I'll show you." Feeling the blond behind him perk at his words, Sasuke added. "I take that back. It won't be a good idea to take you. Just ask another if you want to go. Don't involve me. And don't say you know me if you go there, either."

"But…I don't really have anyone there, or anyone thinking about going there, and if there was a time that I'm to go there, I'll only go to see you!"

"I'd prefer it if you didn't, and… are you sure you're not trying to seduce me?"

Naruto blushed and threw a pillow at the male who was fully dressed and gave a smirk down at him. "Yes, I am, jerk."

"Hn. Better start on watching your words if you don't want me jumping you then."

Having nothing else to counter with, since he felt that Sasuke's words were on a level true, Naruto closed his mouth and lay back on his bed. Suddenly, he released a yelp followed by a loud groan and hopped off of his bed muttering a small, "Fucking homework!" To a confused Sasuke and rushed towards his backpack to get out the papers that held his upcoming headache in their contents.

* * *

Sasuke didn't like what he was seeing, and it had no relation to his surroundings. He ignored the pole dancer trying to get his attention and pulled a messed up looking young man up from the gutters. It wasn't his first time having this happening to his elder brother, but he didn't like it, either. Biting his lips at the dancer who refused to let go of him, Sasuke's patience was running thin.

"Fuck off, bitch!"

Shrinking in fear at his tone and glare, she left him and ran off to another customer that cared to learn about how she could twirl her legs above her head, a technique she thought only a few could muster. Sasuke ignored the drunken males with horny dicks rubbing against naked females and the toxic airs around, and heaved a sigh of delight upon reaching the gates.

He paid the man at the door to help him carry his brother's bungled form and get him into the luxurious looking limousine at the back. Upon having the door shut, Sasuke said in a strained tone.

"To the manor, please."

His driver nodded a curt nod and a ride that was filled with nothing but an extra quiet atmosphere and groans from Sasuke about how Itachi's behaviour needed to come to a stop had started. Sasuke's eyes fluttered as his body released a tiny shiver that he'd ignored and a shower of servants came to help their master up the staircase and into his bed, the moment they arrived.

Sasuke just waited until he was given the sign that everything was alright to start on moving out again.

"You should stay, you know. He really misses you."

A spiked, silver-haired man stepped out of the darkness with a cigarette between his lips and a light bang covering his left eye.

"Sorry, Kakashi, you know I can't do that."

"You should start on learning how to forget, your brother needs you by his side. These are crucial times he's having."

Sasuke bit his lower lip and turned towards the exit. "I…can't. Not yet."

"But your fath-"

"I'll have to get back now. The dorm has strict rules about students being late. Tell him I'll stop by the company first thing Monday morning."

Sasuke turned on his heels and walked out of the giant gate. He felt his heart thump uncontrollably as emotions that he'd forgotten to the empty, black space inside his head, came gushing through his veins, reminding him of the pain. He loosened the tie on his neck; and fisted his hands tight as his body broke into a cold sweat.

As he felt his lungs close in on him, he yelled for his driver to hurry it up. Finally, they reached the doors to the dormitory; Sasuke left the car as if touched by fire and ran through the empty halls back to his room. When the number seventeen caught his eyes alongside the two nameplates, Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto, Sasuke felt his rushing heart calm down a bit.

He unlocked the door, and was met with complete darkness. Taking a swift look at his watch, he sighed at the early time the other had turned to sleep in and marched into the room. Walking softly as not to disturb his sleeping roommate, Sasuke disregarded his clothes. Yet, as he entered the bathroom to get rid of the sweat controlling his limps and started changing from the suit to comfortable clothes, he found the other wide awake looking at him with hazy eyes.

Without meaning to, his mouth broke into a small, tiny smile. "Sorry I woke you up."

At the unfamiliar tone, Naruto clicked his nightstand's lamp on and tried to clear his vision to see what was happening with his roommate. "Sasuke, what's wrong?"

"Can I come sleep with you tonight?"

And that tone was still present, Naruto nodded and scooped backwards, lifting the blanket up to allow Sasuke an entrance. "Anytime."

Naruto had to brace himself when he was held in a bone-crushing hug that didn't quite fit with the Sasuke who was tormenting him every day. He blinked when he felt a shiver come over the other, and pulled the blanket over them, thinking that Sasuke might be cold.

They stayed in that position. Naruto closing his mouth and Sasuke maintaining an iron grip on him. Tanned fingers soon found their way into Sasuke's damp hair and he smiled when the tips rolled onto his digits, clutching a bit tightly for him not to let go.

"I won't ask. So you don't have to tell. But how about you at least allow me a sort of freedom? My shoulders are going a bit numb."

The only indication that the raven smothering him had heard his plea was the faint nod that Naruto could feel due to their close proximity. Sasuke relaxed his hold and Naruto was able to adjust his circulation to a degree that wouldn't have him ending up with bedsores. When his face came close to Sasuke's, Naruto felt himself get lost inside that darkness, the only light bringing him back was that of his nightstand table.

"Naruto,"

"Hm?"

"I want to kiss you."

Naruto allowed himself five seconds to be surprised then a pale finger came to move a golden lock from his face. And, not needing permission, Sasuke closed the small distance between them with his lips. Naruto tasted bitterness into the kiss. It wasn't his first kiss, but he felt as if he was being robbed of something by this devious, cold-blooded, heartless, bittersweet kiss. Yet, he'd tried to respond, but when he did, Sasuke pushed back against him and broke the kiss, obviously not liking what Naruto had just done.

"Don't kiss me back."

"…Huh? Why?"

"Just don't. I don't like it."

Naruto frowned. "What do you mean? Do you want me to just lay here like a log of wood while you get off?"

"Exactly." Black orbs shone in the orangish lit room, telling Naruto that he wasn't talking jokes here.

"…You really mean it?"

"I do."

"Fine, then, have it your way, kiss away, Uchiha."

Naruto closed his eyes and braced himself for the shower of kisses that was going to fall on him any minute now. But it never came. Opening an eyelid; he felt a sharp pain as if a knife was being stabbed though his heart at the expression the other was wearing. Then, before he could open his mouth to say anything, Sasuke started getting off the bed.

But before the raven was out of the bed completely, Naruto grabbed his wrist.

"Let go."

"I don't know why, but I can't. It feels like everything between us will end if I do, and I don't want that to happen."

"There's nothing between us to begin with, this was a bad idea from the first place. Let go of me, Uzumaki."

"No, Sasuke, I won't. You…you're hurt…"

The pale hand he was holding was snatched free from his grasp and cold, lifeless, black orbs faced him. "It's none of your business!"

Naruto tackled the raven on his bed before he'd a chance to leave and forced his body on top of Sasuke's. "It is my business! Your business is my business, Sasuke! Whatever burdens you're holding, please, don't hold them alone, allow me to share some, I may be stupid, and I have forgotten you, but you can't just leave me when you're this hurt to be alone! I won't allow you! Sasuke…please, don't be as stupid as me!"

The male under him ceased moving and Naruto thought that maybe he really did smother him to death and quickly got off. But to his relief Sasuke was alive and breathing, allowing a happy smile to graze Naruto's lips.

"Naruto…why did you come here?"

"Here? You mean the dorm or the university or…?"

"The dorm. What caused you to come here?"

Naruto sat at the edge of the bed and looked down at a clearly interested Sasuke, he smiled, it wasn't every day that he got the cold bastard to ask about details concerning him. "I don't really know how much of my past you know, but I finally decided that I needed to stand on my two feet, so I left Sakura's house, and came here."

"Sakura's house? Who's that? And what about the hospital?"

The blond smiled having finally identified the timeline in which the other had met up with him at, and answered. "I left it, after my legs have healed right, and then I went to stay in the house of my best friend, Sakura, I don't think you've met her just yet. She is a very energetic and strong-willed girl. You may like her."

"Hm…And then you came here?"

"Yeah, I didn't want to be a burden to them, and they've taken care of me for over a whole year. I've exceeded my days of being welcomed."

"Who is paying for your stay here?" Sasuke asked while his hands found their way into Naruto's hair.

Azure orbs glittered with a sense of security at the cold fingers coming to play, and Naruto's own fingers greeted then with delight. "I have a trust fund. It pays for everything I need. But it's barely covering all of my collage expenses; I'll need to find me a job soon to be able to fend for my daily expenses."

Sasuke softly yanked the warm, tan fingers that he was playing with and their owner fell so softly onto his side. "Come work for me."

"And where would I be working for you?"

"It doesn't matter, I'll find you something. Just come work for me."

Naruto smiled and propped himself up on his arms. "Thanks for the offer, Sasuke. But I don't think I can."

"If you're worried about the pay, I can have you decide your own salary."

"That's exactly why. If I started on working, I want to know I'm helping people by it and that I've earned it, that I was hired because no one else could do this job, but not because I know my boss, or I have a relationship with him outside of the working premises."

Sasuke's face collected into a fine frown then his lips released, "What does it matter? In the end, you're only getting paid for a job that means nothing. Money is money, what does it matter where it came from?"

"Umm…I think it's hard for you to see things from my perspective, so how about this…I want to do something that will make me have fun."

And Sasuke stayed quiet searching for an answer, but the only one that came to his mind was. "Work isn't done because it's fun, work is done because it needs to be done."

"Sasuke, that's a very sad way to view your job. Tell me, this company you're running, don't you enjoy it? Running it I mean."

The hand playing with his golden locks came to a halt and Sasuke asked. "How do you know that I own a company?"

"Gaara told me."

"You two have become quite close."

"He helps me when I need him. Because I'm new to everything around here, he's been a lot of help, rescuing me from so many mistakes that could've complicated my life."

"Hmm…you're enjoying his friendship."

"He is very remarkable. His views on life are also fascinating. Hey! Don't avoid the question, answer me, do you enjoy your job?"

Sasuke fondled a lock that was close to Naruto's earlobe and then slipped his fingers into the blond's lobe causing Naruto to flinch and take hold of the dangerous hand with a deep blush that suddenly appeared on his face.

"D-Don't do that again!"

And Sasuke registered a sensitive area on the other's flesh.

"Interesting." Before Naruto could know what's what, Sasuke pushed him down on the bed and pinned him there, "I want to continue where we left off."

And again, Naruto had no say into the dominating plan as he was –relying on his own vocabulary, devoured stopped his mouth from releasing a weird noise that would count as a moan of desire when Sasuke started pleasuring himself with Naruto's earlobe. And the blond didn't know why fire was burning inside of him from this little act as it was. It wasn't as if he was being fucked or was fucking for his body to flame up that way!

But, nevertheless, this thing they were at was intense shit that had him momentarily thinking of what would happen if he allowed the ass a chance at fucking him. Quickly dismissing the stupid thought that aroused ecstasy to flow through his veins, Naruto managed to push a dissatisfied Sasuke off of him with stern eyes…well, he at least tried to have them appearing stern.

"S-Sasuke…no. This is dangerous! You'll end up fucking me!"

"And where's the problem in that?"

"The problem is I don't want to be fucked. If any fucking is going to be done here, I will be the one doing it!"

And the blond felt his veins flame from the way Sasuke pulled his hair to the back in and rolled his eyes down at him.

"Let's face truth here, how many people have you fucked?"

"…Ummm…what's this got to do with that?"

"I'm not going to give my asshole to a total virgin."

Naruto rolled his own eyes back at the indication. "I'm not a virgin. But I haven't done all that many…yet."

"How many?"

"A gentleman never talks about such things."

"How many, Dobe?!"

"There is no real meaning to this! I don't even want to fuck you!"

"Then be fucked by me."

Naruto sweat dropped at the grave he dug for himself. "That's a no, either."

"How many, Naruto? And the next time, I'll not be asking, I'll be doing you!"

"That will be considered rape!"

"Rape it is, then. Stubborn children need to be taught what's what each and every time."

From the evil glint inside that darkness, Naruto knew the other wasn't bluffing from the truth. He sighed and kicked Sasuke in the legs, taking the initiative to be on top and have Sasuke loop up for a damn change.

"I did two. One was a girlfriend I had in my last year in junior high; the second was a nurse I met when I was in the hospital. Got a problem with that?!"

And there was it, the reason why he was so reluctant to reveal the details about his sex life, Sasuke's wide-assed smirk, telling him that those he considered achievements were nothing more than minor roles in this big play they were playing.

"The only problem I'd be having is to allow you to be inches close to my ass, Dobe."

"Shut it, you asshole. How many have you done?!"

"Do you really want to know the answer to that question?"

"I wouldn't have asked if I didn't!"

"Well, I'm not one to actually hold these stupid things to a value but if you want me to give you a number, I will. Without you, there's twenty nine, but counting you, thirty."

Sasuke was hit on the head by a displeased Naruto. "Stop counting my ass, you haven't had it!"

"But I will. You better know this clear, that virgin hole of yours will be mine one of these days."

And Naruto told his heart to stop these stupid thumps it was doing every time Sasuke's face would turn to become something so…so...so damn sexy it was memorizing! He lowered his face two inches away from Sasuke's and licked his lips.

"Are you trying to get me hot, Uchiha?"

The pale hands groping his ass were all the answer Naruto needed, and the next thing the raven knew, he was being pushed back into the soft mattress by a hungry Naruto that changed roles with him and devoured his lips as a change of scenario. Sasuke smirked into the vigorous kiss and stuck his tongue inside Naruto's mouth, exploring its ceiling. Naruto allowed a loud moan to break free from his mouth and his mind clouded briefly with desire as Sasuke started producing a friction between their hips, igniting their sleeping members to erect and awaken.

Breaking the kiss, Naruto left the trail of saliva between them and whispered to a happy looking Sasuke. "You're one damn good kisser, I'll give you that."

"Hn. You're not so bad yourself."

"I know."

"Quite the cocky bastard, aren't you?"

"Only this bastard can brace up with your royal assness. Now, where were we?"

"I was fucking you."

Naruto released a small smirk of his own and stopped the other's hands that were going to lower his sweats for him. "Nice try, but no. No fucking is happening tonight."

Sasuke groaned out his frustration. "You're obviously kidding me if you thought you're just going to leave after we're both like this to jerk off in the bathroom, I'll slaughter you!" And a hard member was pushed against Naruto's, greeting his own wood.

"Mnnn…Sasuke, no…we'll not fuck. We'll hand job tonight."

Those words weren't so thrilling to the lying-down-raven as Naruto knew they wouldn't be, but he sucked it up and promised in a husky voice that if Naruto wasn't bracing himself right, he'd have ejaculated just from its mere echo.

"For now, I'll succumb to it. But later, Dobe, this," Naruto's asshole was pushed by both Sasuke's indexes when he was – so swiftly and suddenly, lifted to sit on the other's lap, "will be saying hello to my cock."

"A day that will never come, Teme!"

"We'll see."

This time when the pale hands were making their way into his pants to lower them, Naruto didn't refuse and allowed the intrusion to happen. Skilled fingers took his cock out for air to meet up with Sasuke's and the blond suppressed the little whine that escaped his throat at the difference in sizes. It wasn't a vast difference to have him shout a protest and not a mild one either. They were close to each other in height, but not in width, so the difference was noticeable, but not too noticeable.

Naruto closed his eyes when his penis was being fondled. He had a special way of masturbating and it had him always ejaculate with a happy look on his face, but this technique, the way Sasuke's hands were moving as if they knew all about his hidden secret places, was driving him insane. And it wasn't long before he was panting for more.

"Glad to see you having fun."

Blue orbs opened from their happy land to glance down as Sasuke's other hand brought Naruto's resting palms to work on the hot piece of wood that was the source to Sasuke's pleasure filled box. Naruto felt his face heat up, but at this point there was no turning back.

It was his first time touching another male's cock; he'd expected to feel disgust and repulsion. But when that cock was connected to the sexiest face he's ever seen, his only reaction was gulping down that nervousness and having his own dick harden up in the process. Naruto had no idea what he was doing, but he tried to apply the things he'd used to masturbate with, to Sasuke's member and see how it worked out.

Strangely, it earned him a couple of small pants and one loud moan that returned his self-trust back to its rightful position.

"Sasuke, lips, now!"

The raven smirked and put a pale hand behind Naruto's head to draw him closer, then their lips clashed. And what sweet collision it was. They returned back to the bed with their cocks rubbing against each other as they were finding their own melody.

The faint light that gave them indication on where to touch was doomed unnecessary; Sasuke flicked it off, and Naruto lost himself to the sweet pleasure. They thrust up and down, with Sasuke using the tip of Naruto's dick to drive him to his release and Naruto using Sasuke's balls for that purpose.

Finally, the two released their white nectar onto the sheets and each other stomachs. Naruto pulled his hand up to his face and felt the sticky substance with his fingers.

"Wow, I'm holding your boys in my hand, Sasuke."

The raven rolled his eyes, adjusting his position. "Stop spurting nonsense."

"It's not nonsense, you're also holding mine. I wonder…how would it taste?"

As Naruto's fingers were going into his mouth to try the taste, Sasuke quickly stopped him with warning orbs. "If you seriously don't want me to fuck you tonight; you wouldn't do that!"

The blond sweat dropped at this and brought his hand back to his side, then said sheepishly. "T-Then, should we wash up now?"

"Go ahead, I'll wait 'til you finish."

"It's easier to just go in together. God knows the bathroom can fit."

"Naruto, I'll seriously jump you if you continue to be so careless!"

And that's when Naruto understood and dropped the invitation, while slowly rising to his feet and making his way towards the bathroom. Yet before he was totally inside, he turned back and gave the other the victory sign.

"That was the best hand job I have ever had, Uchiha!"

"Of course, Dobe. You'll be coming back sooner or later for the real thing!"

Naruto laughed as he closed the bathroom door with a melodious, "You wish."

Sasuke took a deep breath at the sweat-filled room and finally, he felt his emotions return back to their initial status with the shivers totally gone astray and his pulse reverting to that of a person feeling nothing. Yes, life was again set back into its rightful tracks, and the little notion that told him of how he'd need to treat himself when next-time attacks was closed in the dark corner located in the back of his head, to be forgotten.

* * *

"Whoa! Careful there, buddy!"

The blond shouted at the big muscled, macho moving guy and glared back when he was glared down at. He dunked as he was particularly shoved to the wall by the damn mattress as a revenge for his words. But before he could give the other male a piece of his mind, he found him already disappearing under the stairs and having no energy to go down and initiate a fight after coming right back from the slithering heat a minute ago, Naruto walked towards his room and ignored the little incident.

The only thing he felt like doing right now was open the AC, tuck himself into the blanket he adored so much, and give into sweet, much-needed sleep. Yet, when he entered his room, the only reaction he was able to do was stand there dumbfounded while his eyes blinked the lack of the said bed.

"…What's going on in here?" He'd asked as soon as he came face to face with the culprit.

Sasuke looked up from his cell at the entrance of his roommate and declared in a nonchalant tone. "Remodelling."

"Remodelling how exactly? By getting rid of my bed?"

"Our beds, Dobe, look carefully."

Naruto raised a fine brow not liking what he was hearing. "Sasuke, I'm too exhausted for this right now, wherever my bed is, please bring it back, I'm just barely holding myself not to fall to the ground."

Sasuke closed his cell and frowned. "That will be a problem, since the new bed will not arrive until ten this evening. Why not go sleep in Gaara's room if you're so tired?"

"Before I go ask him such a favour, care to explain to me why you're remodelling the room?"

Sasuke shrugged, running a hand through his hair. "No reason, I just felt like it. Seeing the same furniture for the past six months was irritating me, so, I'm changing it."

"Why couldn't you just change your own? I'm pretty comfortable with mine."

"It wouldn't be called remodelling if I only changed my own bed, now would it? And stop being so noisy about it, just go ask Gaara, he won't say no."

Naruto sighed and dropped his backpack on the empty floor. "I don't even know if he's in or not."

"Yes, he is. He passed by a few minutes ago asking for you."

"He was asking for me?"

The raven nodded, walking closer to Naruto. "Yes he was. And it's interesting me of what he would be wanting from you. Any suggestions?"

At the flashback of last time they met and the plan he was forced into, Naruto sweat-dropped and shook his head, denying any knowledge that may be glued to his name.

"Are you sure?"

"…Y-Yes…there's nothing."

Sasuke raised a brow at the other teen, and putting his cell in his pocket, he came extra close than needed to the blond, forcing him to back against the wall. "Tell me then, why do I not believe you?"

"I don't know, ask yourself."

"Uzumaki," Sasuke put one hand behind Naruto on the wall, closing his only route for escape. "You'll find out that I don't deal well with lies."

"And I don't deal well with threats, Uchiha!" The blond glared back.

Their eyes released sparks and for a period of one minute and forty seconds, all they did was stare at each other without looking away. Finally, Naruto's eyes gave up on him, reminding him of the fatigue they were harbouring and his features broke into a cute pout, in which Sasuke was taken aback with.

"Sasuke, I really have no idea what he wants from me, and I'm too tired right now to think of anything, my muscles are failing me…please, let's save all of this for later! I'll quarrel with you as much as you want when I wake up, so for now, let me go sleep~!"

At the big puppy dog eyes that were turning glassy to him, Sasuke sighed and dropped his demanding behaviour. "Fine…go sleep before you die out on me."

Naruto nodded, making his way towards the door after having Sasuke lower his hand so he could pass there. Yet, before he could make his way to the said exit, his hands were held and he was twirled back into Sasuke's arms.

"You forgot something."

Sasuke made sure to imprint himself on Naruto's lips before he let go, and that desire of his was achieved with a hazy looking Naruto particularly falling into his feet. He smirked and held the blond up against his chest.

"Easy there, we don't want you to pass out."

"…Umm…Sasuke, need to sleep…energy zero."

Rolling his eyes, the raven shushed the other up and pulled him out of their room. It wasn't such a faraway walk, just fifteen steps to the staircase, then half a turn into Gaara and Neji's room. Sasuke knocked the door and frowned at the long haired raven.

"I need to borrow your bed."

Without asking, Neji stepped inside, allowing the other to walk in behind him. Naruto was placed carefully on one of the fancy looking beds available on the spacious room and tucked carefully.

"It's disgusting seeing you act so friendly, what's become of the world?"

"You're the last person I want to hear that from. Where's Gaara?"

"What do you want with him?"

Sasuke snorted. "Relax, no one is looking to snatch him from you. You two freaks deserve each other. I just want to know what he wants with Naruto."

"And you're calling him by his given name. Will it rain cats and dogs tomorrow or what?"

"I thought your motto was 'nothing's impossible'."

The long haired raven pulled a hair tie from the left drawer beside his TV-set and pulled his annoying locks into place, frowning momentarily when he noticed the absence of one of his rings, but shrugged it off for him forgetting it somewhere and stopped thinking about it. Alock fell into his face when he turned, causing him to puff it off. It wasn't that he disliked his silky locks, on the contrary – they were his life written in wool, but when it got this hot, they would tend to deform into a problem. And he learned to raise that problem up with a ring.

"That, my dear Sasuke, doesn't apply to you. And Gaara is at the supermarket, will be back in five minutes. You said he needed something from Naruto but you don't know what it is?"

"Correct."

"When did you become so close to him? I don't remember you caring this much about your ex-roommates, in fact, you would've thrown one of them in the ocean without a care…oh wait, you actually did!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes and started standing up but was stopped when a tan hand held into his shirt, "It's none of your business. Now, shut that trap of yours, before you wake him up!"

Neji raised a fine brow at the way Sasuke so carefully took hold of Naruto's fingers to unhook them from his clothes and was able to stand up to proceed out of the room, apparently giving a silent 'no' as an answer to Neji's question of whether he'll be waiting for the redhead or not.

The Med-student just smirked to the sleeping blond.

"There might be more to you than meets the eyes, Uzumaki Naruto."

"To whom?"

"Sweetheart~ you're back!" Neji's face released a joyful beam. "Did you get the chocolate milk I ordered?"

A passive looking Gaara nodded, closing the door behind him. "They didn't have the kind you liked, so I went to the new supermarket on street forty, you know it?"

Neji scowled remembering the huge, newly-build supermarket. "That's a faraway one, why did you go all the way there?"

The redhead looked at the other as if he was deaf. "I just told you. They didn't have your favourite."

"Yes, I heard you the first time around. I'm asking why you went there; you could've gotten me another one."

"I didn't know if you'd drink another one."

Neji hopped from his bed and went over to the redhead. "Yes, I would. If there's one thing Medicine has taught me, it's how to be a flexible human being. Anyway, give it to me."

Ruffling through their joint grocery, Gaara got out the small chocolate milk packet; he took one and gave it to his roommate whilst the others went into their little fridge. He spent five minutes arranging everything into its rightful place then he looked back to the room and his right invisible brow was raised.

"What is he doing here?"

"Sasuke brought him. He didn't give me any details about him, but he wants to talk to you. Which reminds me, what do you have with this boy that I don't know about?"

"Nothing much."

"Then tell me."

Gaara blinked and tilted his head. "Why? It's nothing important really, and it doesn't concern you."

"Yes it doesn't, but it concerns you so I wa-"

"No, it doesn't."

"Excuse me?"

"It doesn't really concern me, either. I was just asked for help, in a business he wants, and I gave it. I can't tell you of what the business he wanted with me was, but I can tell you of what I want from him right now, I went to ask about him because I wanted to learn if the advice I gave had paid off or not."

"And did it?"

"You said that Sasuke brought him here, how was he acting?"

"Abnormally…kind." Neji shuddered at the word, "I seriously think that he might be coming down with something."

"Then it's all good with the world."

The raven furrowed his brows together, adding two into two. "Gaara, was the advice you gave related to Sasuke by any means?"

"I can't say."

"Then it is. Did he want to get along with Sasuke or get another room to change with?"

Gaara ignored the question and headed towards his closet, giving his roommate last words. "As I said, I can't tell you anything related to his business. And if you have nothing else, I want to take a bath, since it was hot and the long walk made me sweat like hell."

Neji's features turned to a lovely scowl, and he released in a bored tone. "Gaara, you're no fun!"

"And you have fun enough for the two of us."

With that the raven was left to his own, plus a sleeping blond that he felt a tendency to smack awake and have all of the words and syllables that Gaara was holding hostage from him, released.

Neji groused.

* * *

**Alright, thanks for reading~ Third chapter had finished! What do you think about it? Review and Review~ **


	4. Chapter Four

**Author Notes:**

**Hello, my sweet, sweet readers! Every time I open my mailbox and see the messages you all have sent, I fly with excitement! :D Thank you for making my days and I hope you're still enjoying this story and following it! Also, thanks to my wonderful Beta, XxDreaming of RealityxX, I hope you get well soon, sweetie! Now, I'll leave you to the story, enjoy~**

* * *

"So, a waterbed?" At the curt, unnoticeable nod, Naruto quirked a brow. "Why?"

"No reason. It looked interesting, plus the place I got it from said it helps with fatigue, and you're always tired so…"

"Not that I'm not grateful, since I am, and in no way do I want you to take this the wrong way, but…" Naruto took a deep breath, removing his hands from his temple and shouted. "Why the fuck is there one giant bed instead of two separate beds here?!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes at the yelling male and explained. "It was cheaper, and even though I would be more than happy to pay for two separate waterbeds, you wouldn't. So, I got a deal that's good for you."

"I didn't even ask you to change my bed! You could've only changed yours! And why the hell aren't there any rules concerning students changing the dorms furniture and selling them as they want to?!"

"Who said there were no rules?"

Naruto raised a brow. "If they did exist, how could you pull this shit off?"

"It's easy. I don't follow their stupid rules. If they complain, I can shush their mouths with money. You still haven't met any of the people responsible of the dorm, right?"

The blond nodded with a scowl.

"Well, they're all old pigs, don't need anything but money. Filthy bastards."

"Even so, you can't just decide on a whim to change all of the furniture and expect me to pay up half of the money! I don't have all that cash on me right now, haven't I told you I'm still searching for a part-time job?!"

"First thing, calm down. You don't need to worry about the money, I paid for everything. You'll just have to give me back the money when you have it, and it doesn't have to be all at once either, you can give it to me at intervals."

Blue eyes filled with uncertain emotions and their owner voiced his thoughts. "I'm not too sure about this; don't you need the money to live?"

"Naruto, you know I run a company, well, not just one company, I own others, as well. I'm loaded. Paying something as insignificant as this means nothing to me. I'll not starve over it, shit it won't even affect me! So stop worrying and enjoy our new furniture for God's sake!"

Naruto was dragged by the hand and introduced to their new mates. Sasuke was telling him, with excitement, about everything, don't get him wrong, the dick's face remained passive of all emotions, even his tone was passive, but Naruto could see the faint fire burning through, inside those round black pearls, which brought a smile to his face. He was presented to their new fridge, closets, the elegant new decorations hung from the ceiling, and finally the huge waterbed that jiggled with water the moment he decided to sit on it.

The blond looked with an uncertain gaze towards it. "Sasuke, you sure this thing is safe to sleep on? I don't want to wake up in the middle of the night to find out that I'm drenched in a sea of water with no bed to lie over."

"Nah, that won't happen. It may not look it, but this is as strong as steel…or something less."

"So, it won't rip?"

"A farfetched possibility."

"But a possibility, nonetheless."

"I thought I was the pessimist here, what happened to the happy-go-lucky attitude you've got going on?"

Naruto lay back on his new bed and released a loud sigh. "I have a new professor, in my Mathematic lectures, he is a huge ass. Has his sight set on me. Even when I don't do anything bad, he finds something out and have me punished."

Sasuke raised a brow. "Punished? At university? Just explain exactly to me how's that happened?"

"Well, the first three times, he kicked me out; taking out my attendance in the midst, then he started deducting marks from my assignments, and today, he failed me on a project that I've been working on with a classmate of mine…I worked really hard for that project, too!"

The raven had a disgusted look appear on his face and said. "Why not tell other teachers about his behaviour towards you?"

"And who'll believe me? I'm a new student here, and he's an old professor that's taught millions of students before and everyone only pledges about how great of a person he is."

"Then, give me his name, I'll deal with him."

Naruto turned to the other sitting a few inches away from him and presented a small smile. "Thanks, but I'll handle this one myself. It feels like if I let you handle it, everything will only get more and more complicated."

"What do you plan to do, then?"

"I have no idea, but for now, I'll try to talk to him, to know what I've done for him to hate my guts the way he is."

"And when that doesn't work?"

Naruto gave off a small grin. "It's 'if', Teme. If it doesn't work, I'll ask him to at least act professional and separate his business life from his personal one."

"And _when_ that also doesn't work?"

The blue-eyed male pouted. "I'd have no other choice but to drop his class. It isn't that necessary, anyway, yet since it will bring my record up if I attend it, I signed up for it. But if it will only bring me troubles, then I'll be closing that door once and for all."

Sasuke stood up from the bed with a hum. "Well, I still think you're just running away from him. It would be best to just go and report him to let hell break loose."

Propping himself on his elbows, the blond asked. "Sasuke, how did you manage to reach your third year without being kicked out with that nasty attitude of yours?"

"For the same reason why you're not kicked out from here with that annoying attitude of yours."

"A reason I'm still wondering about."

"Then keep on wondering."

Naruto was left to his inner thoughts as Sasuke disappeared into the vast bathroom. He removed his jacket and flopped back on the waterbed, taking a deep breath and closing his eyes. He was still feeling somewhat tired, but not as tired as he'd been. Gaara's heavenly bed that he was sleeping on was a wonderer's maker! He was sure it was a medical-bed or something, because the joints that felt like wanting to break free and run away from his messed up body were back to their calm and relaxing nature the moment he woke up. Not just his joints, but his whole body felt new and refreshed!

Hopping off of the waterbed, he paid attention to the new alarm clock on the new nightstand, and bright red numbers with a reddish hue to them read twelve at night. His brain wondered silently if he could find the cafeteria open for late supper, as he hadn't eaten anything since that late bite he could squeeze between lectures. Like on cue, his stomach grumbled, and his mouth released a sigh.

"Sasuke!" He called walking towards the bathroom, "I'll go down see if the cafeteria is open, I'm starving like hell! Want something?"

He was made to wait for ten minutes before a wet Sasuke came out of the shower holding a loose towel to cover his midsection, Naruto took a long hard look at the exposed flesh, not feeling any embarrassment. If the other was showing, he wouldn't be acting like a coy school girl and shy away from him; he'd be staring, and staring hard!

Sasuke smirked at the pair of blue orbs checking him out. "Like what you see?"

Naruto rolled his eyes. "I've seen better."

"I hardly doubt that."

"Sheesh! Lay low on the egoism, would you?!"

"Hn. You said you wanted to go get a bite?"

One golden head nodded, causing fluffed out, stray locks to sway with its motion. "Yeah…just the cafeteria, if it's still open."

"It's closed. You can go outside the dorm and find a restaurant that opens 'til now, or we can save all the effort and just order in." Sasuke offered, getting inside a black hoodie that hugged his figure loosely.

"Hmm…somehow, I want to stretch my feet. I've been sleeping for a while, and some exercise is needed."

"Get me some chips from the supermarket, then."

"I'm not going there…"

"Where're you going? Cabs don't pass by here at this time. You'll need a car to reach the closest diner, and even if you did, it may be closed. Your best shot is the twenty four seven supermarket behind the dorm. You can take the walk you want, and get me my chips. Two birds with one stone."

Naruto rolled his eyes putting his slippers on. "Fine, fine. I'll go there. Want anything else?"

"Family size chips. Don't bring me the small ones, they irritate me."

"A lot of stuff irritates you; you should look into a change of attitude, Sasuke."

"Shut it, Dobe. Run along now before it gets too dark."

Naruto nodded and left the room closing the door behind him. As he passed the stairs and out into the spacious hall, he frowned at the dim lightening, it was like everyone inside the rooms was fast asleep, except him and Sasuke. His legs continued on walking to the backyard, he saw the guards there chatting happily about something that they thought was funny; Naruto approached them with a tiny smile.

Answering that he was going off to the supermarket when one of them asked about where he was leaving at such a time, Naruto was told to be careful and then left to go out. It took him about twenty something minutes to reach the supermarket, and to his good luck, it was a moonlit night. A bit chilly, as well.

Naruto put his hands inside his pockets as he crossed the street towards the still opened supermarket. Getting inside, he had no idea what he wanted to eat. Most of the food inside was either raw or in the form of ingredients needed to be cooked, and it was too late for him to be cooking right now. So, thinking that he should first get Sasuke's chips then think about what he should get himself, Naruto stood in wonder before the huge rows of different types of chips. And again, he had no idea what type Sasuke liked.

He himself would have gotten hot chilli, but maybe Sasuke didn't like it. Different flavours that he'd heard of some and not all flashed to him, he sighed and blindly picked up a flavour, which turned out to be ketchup, and hurried away with it. Thinking that he should probably get himself some snacks to last him through the night until he could get his morning breakfast at the cafeteria when it opened, Naruto randomly took hold of different pastries and snacks and placed them into the basket he was holding.

Finally, getting to the casher, the young, freckles-filled male blinked soullessly at him. "That would be thirty five Ryo, sir."

"Alright then."

Getting his hands into his back pocket, Naruto sweat dropped when he couldn't find his wallet. The casher looked at him with bored eyes waiting for the money, Naruto grinned and continued searching his pockets but to no avail…the colours drained from his face.

He here had two choices, one was to hit the obviously weak male and run with his purchase, or to admit that he'd forgotten his wallet and return back empty handed to his roommate. The second one didn't tempt him too much because he knew the amount of humiliation he'd be getting from a snickering Sasuke.

The blond released a loud sigh.

"Umm…listen, can I like take these and pay you back tomorrow? You see I kinda forgot my wallet, and I only live a few blocks away, on that dorm over there, see it?" He pointed to the huge buildings visible from where he was standing. "If you need some assurance, I can leave my student ID card, also!"

The bored look didn't leave the other male's face. "Excuse me sir, but I'm not allowed to do that. If you don't have the money, you can't take anything. And if that's really your place, it's close by; you can run and come back with the money, other options I'm afraid I cannot accept."

Naruto sighed again and tried to reason with a desperate looking face. "Okay, look, I can't do that. You see, I have this obnoxious roommate, and if I returned telling him that I'd lost my wallet, I'll never live this one down! And I already allowed him to laugh his ass off on my expense. Do you know how tortuous that would be to have him hold something as stupid as this on me?!"

"Sir, please lower your tone of voice. It's none of my business. I just take the money from people. And if you don't have it, I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to leave."

"Why can't you just understand?! I'm not going to rob you out of some snacks! Just 'til tomorrow!"

"Sir…I'm warning you, keep your distance!"

Naruto rolled his eyes at the way he was being treated with. It felt like he was a criminal wanting to rob the supermarket, but he wasn't, he was only trying to convince the other not to have him live a humiliating event that will break his ego.

"Alright, how about this offer, I'll also be leaving my cell phone with you, ha? I won't flee with it with you, right? Whaddaya say?"

"I can't, sir, it's not allowed. Now, I'll be forced to call on security if you're refusing to leave!" The tiny male threatened.

"I'm not refusing anything! Will you stop treating me as if I'm a criminal?! I just want you to under-"

"Is there a problem here, boys?"

Naruto turned to the new customer that had come to stand behind him. He sighed. Great just what he needed, witnesses, now his pathetic try to convince the casher will go down the drain.

"Nothing, sir. He was just leaving."

And the words were spoken loud and clear for him. Scowling at his bad luck, Naruto left the huge supermarket cursing himself. Now, he could only get back there empty handed and accept the insults like a man, oh lord, how much he wished he'd checked twice for the presence of his wallet before stepping out this moment.

Normally, he wouldn't be flipping out this much if he'd just forgotten his wallet, since he was human, and humans are prone to forgetting stuff. Yet, this wasn't his first time forgetting things and leaving without them, deducting this one, the total came close to seven times. And he remembered the last time he'd forgotten his cell at home at; let's just say Sasuke's throat was never the same again!

He sighed knowing that this time; he'll just have to sit like a good boy and accept the nasty words Sasuke was sure to throw at him.

"Young man! Young man!"

Naruto stopped his self-loathing walk and turned back, coming face to face with the said customer that he was kicked out because. "Are you talking to me?"

"Yes." The man with long flowing black hair and stunning black orbs that stung in Naruto a feeling that he'd seen them somewhere before, caught up with him holding a cart bag. "Here! These were yours, right?"

Naruto looked at the bag and indeed, that was the chips he's gotten for Sasuke, along with the junk he brought for his empty stomach. He raised a brow. "Well, since I didn't pay then no. They're not."

"Yes they are." The bag was placed into his tan hands, causing blue orbs to blink at the other, "I'm giving it to you."

"I appreciate the gesture, but I can't accept it, I don't know you."

A small smile was given to Naruto, and he felt himself lose the nasty attitude in front of the other. Here, he was being offered a way out of his problems from a person who was just being nice because he probably thought Naruto was in some sort of trouble and had no money to pay his food, so, there really was no need for him to be such an ass. He groaned inwardly at himself, thinking how much Sasuke's bad influence was rubbing offon him.

"I know you, and you're going to know me soon."

Naruto's brows furred together, but before he could question the other, a fancy looking black limousine pulled in front of them and the long haired gentleman started walking towards it. Not wanting to be left in complete confusing without getting a word out himself, Naruto shouted.

"Thank you!"

Before the limousine's automatic door was closed, Naruto saw the red lips that were talking to him a few seconds ago turn into a smile and mouth words that had only confused him more when he'd pronounced them himself.

"Say hi to Sasuke…?"

* * *

After getting inside and throwing the bag of purchases to a studying Sasuke, Naruto hurried to the bathroom to clean his feet and relieve his bladder before it exploded on him. When he got out, he found the stuff he'd gotten himself placed on the small table Sasuke had gotten for them alongside everything else for his personal use, and the ketchup flavoured chips placed beside an absorbed-into-reading Sasuke.

Naruto blinked for two reasons, first, he'd no idea that Sasuke wore glasses, and the second, it appeared as if ketchup was amongst Sasuke's okay-list for flavours. He walked further inside and took hold of a cross bun placed on the said table, then plopped on the waterbed beside his roommate.

"You look nice with glasses. Why haven't I seen you wearing them before?"

The raven flipped a paper and continued writing something on the notebook in his lap. "They're reading glasses. I don't need to wear them unless I'm reading. And the reason why you haven't seen them before is that you've never seen me study before."

"Yes, I have."

"Then I wasn't wearing them."

"Hmmm…you look good with them, anyway. I bet the little fan-club I saw squeal on your ass that other day would rejoice to see you wearing them."

"Jealous much?"

"In your dreams." Naruto bit softly on the piece of baked dough and smiled when it was just right to his standards. "Say, Sasuke, do you happen to know a long haired, light-complexioned, black-eyed dude?"

"Hmmm?"

"Since I had just met one who seems to know you."

Sasuke closed the book he was reading from and took off his glasses, giving his full attention to the blond, seeing as how Naruto had no intention of shutting up and allowing him the peace and quiet he wanted. "What's his name?"

Naruto shrugged, having finished the small bun and started digging the second one. "Beats me. He kinda acted as if we were in a damn movie or something and just told me to say hi to you. I thought you'd be able to know him."

"Dobe, do you know how many people I interact with every day? And these characteristics are vague enough." Sasuke snorted, snatching the half-finished bun from Naruto's fingers and swallowing it whole.

"Hey! There's another one in the bag, you don't need to snatch mine!"

"The one in your hands looked tastier." Sasuke smirked at the pout and watched Naruto snatch himself a third bun, then hide away from him, he suppressed the roll that was knocking his eyeballs' door. "Didn't you see any other features to this man?"

"Hmm…well, he came in a limo, seemed rich as fuck!"

Suddenly the playful smirk on Sasuke's face dropped. And Naruto watched as his roommate's mood switched from the seven heavens to blistering hells in a partial of a second. He blinked and his brows connected together as Sasuke's eyes went wide.

"Sasuke? You alright?"

"What did he say to you except for that?"

And the tone told Naruto that all fun was put aside as something big was going on here; the blond answered truthfully. "Nothing. He just helped me a bit with the grocery and then said to tell you hello and went off in his fancy limo."

Sasuke's face released a relieved sigh with his words, causing Naruto's confusion to only flare some more.

"Sasuke, what's going on here? Who was that man?"

"You don't need to know that. Just keep out of his business and away from him. Don't answer him if he talks to you again, either!"

"…You can't just order me not to talk to people without giving me a solid reason why I shouldn't." Naruto reasoned back with a scowl to his lovely features.

"Believe me, Naruto, he is bad news. If you want to preserve the quiet life you're living right now, you'd take my advice and won't associate yourself with him. Nothing good ever comes from that."

Naruto's initial scowl only deepened at those words. "You're not making anything clear here, Sasuke. Who is this person? At least tell me that."

"If I tell you, promise me to stay away from him."

"First tell me."

Sasuke looked long and hard into his hands, and then at the determined male beside him with serious eyes that could cut through ice with their sharpness. He sighed under his breath then said in voice touched with dread and a hint of malice.

"My older brother."

* * *

Sakura held her juice not to drop from her hands at the hot piece of ass that had just walked beside her on the way to Naruto's room. She gulped her juice down and made sure that she didn't look like a fish out of water as she approached him, acting all dumb and all. What? You can't blame her, in her long experienced life, she'd come to know one thing about the male species, if there was something they appreciated; it would be a sexy woman that had the brain capacity of a damn bug. In her point of view, they were the retarded sex, but that was a theory kept to herself.

"Excuse me," She'd started, batting her eyelashes and making sure she was facing him with her good side, "I'm looking for a room here, and I seem to have gotten a bit lost, would you mind helping me?"

The tall handsome male stopped walking and looked at her keenly; she tilted her head cutely waiting for a reply. The male pointed down.

"If you're lost, you can ask the dorm president, he's in room number one, just go down and then head right, on the first turn, you should see it then."

Upon his retreating back, Sakura sweat-dropped and tried again. "Umm…but can't you just point me the direction of the room I want to go to? It seems like it will just be a bother to them if I went down right now to ask about it, besides, I didn't see anyone when I was down."

She stood her ground, not wavering at the hard, long look he gave her. Since she was a tough woman, and he wasn't the first hard cookie that she needed to break, Sakura knew how to weasel her way into a conversation with him.

"…Fine. Where do you need to go to?"

And her inner-Sakura scored a goal with her fists. Smiling, so very sweetly, she declared. "Room number seventeen."

The male before her knotted his brows and frowned causing the soft hair that was on either sides of his face to flutter softly. "What do you need there?"

Blinking at the weird question, Sakura clarified. "I'm visiting a friend of mine there, his name is Uzumaki Naruto. You know him?"

"Come with me."

The male started walking, and a squealing Sakura followed close behind. It was her lucky day – who knew that the dorm her friend had chosen contained such a cutie within its walls? And from his behaviour he seemed familiar with her Naruto, too. Sakura couldn't be happier! Now, she could ask Naruto's help into progressing this deal further. Maybe she could even squeeze a date on this upcoming Tuesday, she was free of any lectures and work.

Blinking, she didn't notice when they were face to face with the door, nor when the black haired male took out a pair of keys to open the door with, all she knew was that she was now walking behind a hot dude, into the inside of Naruto's room, with stars surrounding him.

The blond raised his head from his laptop and looked up at the sound of locks being opened and beamed at his roommate. "Sasuke, back so soon?"

"No. I forgot a book. Shouldn't you be out?"

"Yeah…" Naruto grabbed a bite from the jam sandwich he was eating, and continued. "The lecture's been cancelled. I can laze around all day today~"

Sasuke rolled his eyes at the other. "Not like you don't do that every day."

As Naruto's mouth started to open to object to this, his blue, shining orbs registered the presence of another human being behind Sasuke, his face released a happy grin, forgetting all of the nasty words he was about to say to the other at the sight of his best friend.

"Sakura! Welcome! What brought you here?"

"Nice to see you too, Naruto." The girl smiled at him, making her way inside past the tall dude. "I had free time and thought I'd stop by and see how you're doing."

Naruto's grin widened and he disregarded the sandwich from his hands, "I'm doing perfectly well, been busy since the last time we've met, you know the pressure of studying and all."

"I can see that." She smirked at him.

"Hey! What do you mean by that?!"

"Whatever you want it to mean."

Before Naruto could be ignited further to go down this dead-end conversation, Sasuke's voice broke through the room. "Naruto, I'll be going now. And before I forget, today I'll be late so don't wait up…no, as a matter of a fact, I think I won't be able to come back tonight."

Naruto blinked at the tall male, not liking what his ears were picking up. "Huh? Why?"

"There's some stuff I need to take care of, so probably I won't be able to finish them until late at night. That's why I'll bunk out instead of driving in the middle of the night." Sasuke walked towards the blond and leaned down to capture his lips in a tender kiss, "don't forget to lock the door, Dobe."

And the only thing Sakura could do after the huge shock that was delivered to her was scoop the way for the raven to get out and give her best friend _'the eye'_, in which he blinked innocently back at.

"What?"

Sakura closed the door and walked with angry steps back to Naruto, hitting him with each word she got out with her burse. "Don't. What. Me. You. Stupid. Blond! What the hell was that?!"

"Aw, aw, and AW, Sakura! What was what?!"

"That! That kiss! Why the hell are you kissing?! Have you really turned gay from all of my teasing?" Huge, disbelieving, green eyes looked at him.

Naruto rolled his own beautiful, azure eyes at her and took away her burse, as to avoid giving himself a concussion had she decided to throw another shower of hits. "What nonsense are you talking about? Of course not!"

"Then what was that?!"

He blinked at her, not getting why she was so rattled about, then answered in a normal tone. "It was nothing. A goodbye kiss. Everyone does it. You're not freaking out over something like this now, are you?"

"Naruto! Have you lost your mind bunking with dicks?! What the hell is a goodbye kiss between two freaking guys! Where have you heard of that ever happening?!"

"But we used to kiss goodbye, too. Or have you forgotten?"

"For your information, I'm a chick! And that happened when we were both in diapers! You can't put that on the same level as this!"

"Why not? A goodbye kiss is a goodbye kiss. There's no other meaning behind it. We've been doing it for a while now."

"And you're not feeling disgusted with this?"

"Not at all, do you?"

Sakura released a big sigh, putting her bracelets-filled right hand on her temple; releasing her hold on her burse to have it fall back to the blond's lap. "Okay, Naruto, maybe you being cooped up in that hospital all of these years had done something to your brain, because you're seeing stuff wrongly. Here in the real world, you don't kiss people goodbye unless they're related to you as family, or lovers. People have disregarded kissing goodbye to friends a long time ago."

"…I don't get it. You kiss me goodbye all the time."

"On the damn cheek, stupid! Not flat out on your lips!"

And Sakura had to withstand being looked at as if she was a person with Down syndrome from the dumbest person on Earth. Yes, her ego just bit its lip, and stood up glaring.

"There is no difference, skin is skin. It doesn't make a difference to me where he kisses me goodbye. It's just a habit to us by now."

Deciding that reason should be thrown out the window by now, Sakura took a seat and asked a question that was nagging at the back of her head.

"Naruto, tell me, what other types of kisses have you two been doing?"

"Hmm…not a lot really. Just the normal. Good morning and goodnight, goodbye, and we sometimes just kiss for the heck of it. There's no definite reason for it."

"And neither of you feel uncomfortable doing that?"

"Nope. Like I've been trying to tell you, it's a habit, just like drinking water."

"That's a wrong example, since drinking water is a necessity, and these kisses are anything but!"

"Alright then, they're habits."

"Then these bad habits you've developed need to be stopped, or people will start to think you're gay. You're not gay, right?"

"For the umpteenth time, Sakura, no! I'm not!"

"Easy there, tiger, just checking. How about your roommate, then? Is he gay? Wait…he is your roommate, right?"

Naruto rolled his eyes at her, and scooped to allow her to sit down on his waterbed. "Yes, Inspector Gadget, he is my roommate. And I don't really know if he is gay or not, but I don't think he is. We don't really talk about stuff like that."

"Then what do you talk about?"

"Normal stuff. But mostly, we fight. Then converse normally, then fight again, then kiss, and fight to make up and fight once more." Naruto grinned to her. "Our life is centred around us fighting. Isn't it exciting?!"

Sakura released a sigh. "What the hell did I expect from you? Anyway, I just came here to check up on you, but right now, I need to get you out of here. You're turning gay without even realizing it."

Naruto frowned when she started dragging him by the hand out of the room; he stopped her by a calm hand on her shoulder, to return her to her right state of mind. "Sakura, take a deep breath, please. And calm the heck down. I assure you hundred percent that I'm not turning anything. And if the idea of me kissing Sasuke bothers you so much, I can stop. Bad habits can be broken down, you know."

Sakura turned and found sincere, happy eyes looking back, she felt her flaring nerves calm down a bit and sighed, putting her hands on top of Naruto's. "I know. It's just; it came as a shock to me. To see you having this different lifestyle that I know nothing about and…I think I felt somewhat jealous."

"Because I'm kissing the hot dude while you're left on the sidelines?" Naruto raised a thick brow, teasing his best pal.

Sakura rolled her eyes hitting him lightly. "In your dreams, stupid. I just felt…you know, left out of your life, because it's been two weeks in which I haven't heard anything from you. I was…worried. Even if you're busy, do find the time of day to call and ask on your old friends. Or have you forgotten about me already?"

Naruto gave her a sweet smile and leaned touching his forehead to hers, like he'd always done when she would start to feel insecure about something. A notion that had always brought smiles into her face and it didn't fail him this time, either.

"You know I'll never forget you, Sakura. You're my first friend, my best friend and you'll always be my most favourite person in the whole world. You don't need to fear anything. Even if my life has kept me busy from you, I'll always find time for you. These past two weeks were a bit hectic for me, since I was made responsible for a project, and it's taken all of my time. You can ask Sasuke even, I could only see places to sleep in during. That's why I didn't have time. And I'm not saying that as an excuse, it's just explanation. It wouldn't have cost me anything to give you a call or send a text, so for that I'm sorry. I'll make sure not to let it happen again."

Sakura smiled back at him and shook her head. "No, I understand, Naruto. Don't feel any pressure from me, and if you were severely busy, just text me."

"That I will. So, we good now?"

He asked walking two steps to the back and leaving Sakura room to breathe, the girl grinned at him, bearing her teeth.

"Only if you introduce me to that hot roommate of yours!"

"I thought you thought he was gay?" A thick golden eyebrow was raised in question.

"Well, you said he isn't, then he is a free meal. I can make him mine!"

At the passion inside her eyes, Naruto only sweat dropped and smiled in tension as he prayed safety for his absent roommate for the tornado that was marking him as the place where it's going to hit. And by the fire igniting in the pink haired girl, Sasuke was in for a long, hard, nerve-wrecking storm.

* * *

The only thing Naruto was able to do was curse the heavens for the sudden pour that caught him off guard and he dunked under a tree, sighing when the papers he was carrying weren't caught on water. Yet, the rain wasn't so merciful to his clothes, as he looked back to find his whole back drenched with water. He groaned loudly.

"Shit!"

Quickly stuffing the papers he had on his backpack before they got flown by the heavy wind that had suddenly started blowing, Naruto sighed in triumph. He directed a wandering eye to the darkly coloured skies. How could weather so hot suddenly turn so cold, windy and rainy? The answer was probably found in the weather report and the Meteorology department of the university.

The weather before him wasn't about to let up, and in the place he was in – which was the spacious area found outside of the university's library – didn't have any students, in fact, none was close to him. And he couldn't spot any umbrella. He cursed again. Why the fuck was his luck so freaking bad these days?!

He stopped the trail of self-hate and flipped his cell open to search for Sasuke's number. Sadly, he still couldn't make decent friends on campus, sure, there were some colleagues here and there, but he had promised himself since being in the hospital that he'd never get another human involved in his troubles again, so getting in close contact with colleagues was out of the question.

When the familiar woman on the other line answered on how connection couldn't be delivered because the recipient's cell was out of coverage or closed, Naruto felt like throwing his own cell to get pneumonia in the suddenly cold weather.

"Hey there, need some help?"

At the tender voice coming from behind him, Naruto turned with desperate pupils and stopped his eyes from widening at the angel standing there with umbrella covering her tiny form from the evil drops. A girl, with beautiful light violet eyes and flowing black hair and a snowy complexion that told on how much she needed to receive the sun's kiss, was smiling sweetly at him, while one clothed hand was holding what appeared to be a big umbrella that didn't quite fit her small frame.

"Y-Yeah…" Naruto smiled back at her, "It suddenly started raining and I have no idea how to get the hell out of here, and my cell has stopped working, too."

The girl giggled at him. "Funny. The same thing happened to Kiba-kun."

"Kiba-kun?"

She nodded causing the two pigtails to sway with her, catching Naruto's attention to their softness. "Yes," And her face turned around in confusion at the lack of the said Kiba person beside her. "Weird, he was just here. I wonder where he ran off to in this weather."

"I don't think too far."

"True. So, want me to take you to the main street? We were going there anyway. We can deliver you there to the bus station...do you take the bus to where you're going?"

And suddenly, Lady Luck had started to smile down upon a miserable Naruto. "No, that would be just fine. I can take the bus, no problem."

The beautiful girl smiled. "I'm Hinata, Hyuuga Hinata, I study Pharmacology." She extended a pale hand.

Naruto took it, and answered back. "Uzumaki Naruto, I study Engineering."

"Oh!" She beamed. "Kiba-kun and Shino-kun are also in Engineering! Do you know them?"

"What type are they in? There're different specialties."

"Hmm…don't they separate you in fifth year or something?"

"No, they start from the first year. It's better that way, for us to know who we'll be continuing with."

The girl nodded at him. "Well, they are both studying Mechanics, so maybe Mechanical Engineering…? I'm not too sure, they never talk much about it, and all I know is that they're in Engineering. What type are you in?"

"Mechanical Engineering."

"And you've never heard of them?"

"Well, I don't mingle well with people here." He replied sheepishly.

The girl known as Hinata smiled familiarly at him. "I understand. I used to be a very shy person, and I would stutter a lot! Like between two words, I'd be stuttering. But from the moment I met Kiba-kun that has turned into a distant habit of mine."

"Seems like an amazing person."

"Yes, he is. But I really do wonder where he's gone to!"

As if on cue, a messy brown haired male came running towards them, drenched with rain and mud, he was holding what appeared to be an injured…dog? Naruto blinked at the muddy creature and wondered inside his head if this truly was a dog or not.

"Hinata! Big trouble! Akamaru's been injured!"

The other male reached them and the girl looked horrified at the whimpering dog. "Oh no! What happened?"

"He fell into a hole on this goddamn maze! I went to find him when he wasn't near me. I think he broke his leg or something, we need a doctor!"

The girl known as Hinata nodded. "Sorry, Naruto-kun, but would you mind delaying us taking you to the bus station 'til we treat Akamaru?"

Naruto shook his head and smiled at them. "No problem, I know a good Veterinarian that's inside the campus, in fact it's not so far away from here, let me take you there."

Hinata nodded and started the formal interdiction process as another male joined them a short while later, introducing himself to be Shino, apparently a close friend of the two. Naruto felt his face stretch into a smile the whole way to the Veterinarian, and the small, tiny thought passed inside his head of how nice it would be to have a group of friends like those three was pushed to the back of his head as they neared the Veterinarian's office.

* * *

Naruto sighed as the bus dropped him off close to the stop; he made a quick dash towards the stop as not to drench further with water. Then cursed when he sat down waiting for the raven to get to him, and the seat he was on was filled with water, forcing him to change seats. He'd called Sasuke earlier when he was inside the bus to bring him an umbrella, since he had none, and if he were to go to the supermarket to purchase one, he'd be better to head to the dorm, since the distance was the same and in either cases, he'd become a wet spot.

His waiting didn't last long before a figure started coming close to him. He scowled when it turned out to be his lovely roommate.

"Why did you come on feet?"

A thin, dark brow was raised as Sasuke entered the bus stop. "Would you have preferred I don't?"

"No! I'm talking about the car; I was hoping you'd drive here."

"The distance wasn't all that far to need a car. And the weather isn't so bad; I thought we could take a walk."

Naruto rolled his eyes as they exited the stop. "Yes, it is! Extremely bad! I was fucking trapped because of it for half an hour before someone holding an umbrella had passed me by in campus! And you're kidding me if you think I'll be going anywhere with you except the dorm right now!"

"You can't blame the weather for something like this. You were stupid. It's your own fault. And I wasn't planning on taking you anywhere except the dorm."

"Care to tell me exactly how it's my fault?"

"You could've brought an umbrella with you."

"The weather was fucking sunny this morning! It suddenly started pouring! No one saw it coming! Not even the damn weather report!"

"…You saw the weather report?"

Naruto darted his eyes, buffing his cheeks. "Not the point. The point is that it wasn't expected."

"Well, from now one, try to expect the unexpected; you'll do well in life if you do that."

And the blond couldn't help the roll that was itching on the corner of his eyes. "Just shut it already!"

"Hn."

They continued in silence until they reached the gates of the dorm, in which Sasuke slid them open one second to have Naruto run as if struck by lightning inside. Of course, he ignored the dashing fool and walked in more human paces 'til he reached their joint room, finding Naruto already in the midst of –indicated by the steam that was coming from the door crack – a very hot bath.

Sasuke entered the room and closed the door behind him, heading towards the papers that were left scattered on the big waterbed. He put the umbrella on the shelf after shaking the water free from it, thinking to air it out later when the weather got better.

He got out his glasses and continued with his writing. Fifteen minutes later, Naruto was out drying his hair with a towel.

"God! You have no idea how much I needed that!"

"Hn."

Seeing as how Sasuke was in a different realm than he was at the moment, Naruto decided that it was time to keep quiet and let the other work. It was refreshing in a sense, to see Sasuke this focused on work, and he could tell from the way the other was concentrating that it had nothing to do with college. It was about the company. Which got the blond wondering on how on Earth Sasuke could organize his time to handle the university along with running a big corporation.

A small smile came to residue on his lips, appreciating the guy who was rooming with him. Suddenly, his ringtone started playing and Naruto headed towards his disregarded bag to get the text. His face flashed a small smile as he read through the thank-you text his new friend had sent. He plopped on the waterbed, careful not to rattle Sasuke's papers as he started texting the pale-eyed girl back. Smiling when she returned the text immediately, asking if he was free next Sunday since they were thinking of checking out the new Art gallery that had opened on the east side of the university. Naruto had heard about that gallery and how it only portrayed Art done by students, apparently, they would only show paintings done by up and coming artists, he texted back his okay, it would be fun to spend some more time with the trio.

He looked to his right as the glasses-wearing Sasuke frowned at something on his laptop and continued typing with a dissatisfied look on his face. Naruto peeked at the laptop and he swore it was gibberish! An accumulation of numbers woven together to forbid anyone from understanding, he spared Sasuke's face a glance, finding the initial frown replaced with his usual nonchalant expression. A peep had him return to his cell.

Naruto put his cell back on the table and went to fetch himself a comb and style his pointy locks down.

"Hey," Blue orbs looked from the mirror on his lap to the black haired raven, "Do you want to tag along with me tonight?"

Naruto blinked and removed the golden locks away from his eyes to form eye-contact with his roommate, he questioned. "Where to?"

"An old associate had invited me to a party. I don't want to go, but it will be good for business, so I have to. Do you want to come?"

"Why are you inviting me? Have you finally run out of girlfriends to invite, Uchiha?" Naruto smirked allowing his locks to fall back smoothly, "If you have, I believe Sakura would be delighted to get this invitation more than me."

"I just thought…" Naruto had to blink as Sasuke's eyes changed into a different set of emotions that he didn't know, and when those lips spoke, he felt himself hung with each syllable. "No, never mind. I still haven't run out of girlfriends."

"No, no, wait! What were you going to say?"

"Nothing important. Just forget about it."

And Naruto was left with that as Sasuke turned his back to him and fixed his glasses back on. The blond frowned, sensing like he was being put in the dark about something, then sighed as a flashback of the damp paper inside his bag told him of the work he himself needed to do. With a visible groan, he marched towards his backpack, placing the issue with Sasuke to the back of his mind as his studies rang to remind him of their importance.

* * *

"This is abnormal!" Blue orbs flared with anger, "This goddammit rain is abnormal!"

Gaara blinked tilting his head to the side. "Why say that? Rain is a gift from God; it refreshes the air, nurtures the earth and feeds animals. Why do you hate it so much?"

Snorting, Naruto moved away from the window and settled on the fancy cafeteria chair, crossing his arms. "When it rains, everything is ruined. Rain blocks roads, causes floods, kills people, nothing good comes with the rain."

"Well, everything in life has its good and bad points. You can't just see the bad in everything."

"I don't! It's just the fucking rain I have a problem with!"

Gaara flipped through a page in the Art magazine he was holding and sipped from the nicotine-filled coffee. "Then that's a psychological problem you have."

"Maybe. Say, where's Neji-san? It's been a while since I last saw him."

"And you won't. For now, anyway."

"Huh? Did he leave the dorm or something?"

"No. Neji went to a family gathering, a sort of party his uncle is throwing for them to mingle."

"Oh! Sasuke also went to some party!"

"I know, they went together."

Naruto blinked raising his head from the table, "Why?"

"Neji's family is closely tight with the Uchiha. So, they'd gone together to save on time. Besides, Neji would not have allowed me to remain here with him tortured over there if he was to go on alone."

"…I had no idea Neji-san's family was rich. Is your family rich, too?"

Gaara eyed Naruto for a minute. "Will it matter if it is or isn't?"

"Not really, just asking."

"Then yes, it is. But my family isn't in close contact with both Neji's and Sasuke's. It's because I'm originally not from here. I came from Sunagakure. So, my family isn't well known around here."

"Suna is very far from here. Why did your family move here?"

"It didn't. I was the only one who came."

"Will it be considered as me meddling if I asked you why?"

Gaara put the magazine beside him on the table and shook his head, allowing a red lock to fall out of the collection and blur his vision, falling so softly over his green hazy orbs.

"Not in particular. My reasons are very ordinary. I just wanted to find myself. Away from the family, away from everyone caring for me and telling me what I should and shouldn't do or love. I wanted to explore my own options, and live my own life."

"And that's when you found Neji-san?"

"In truth, Neji and I hadn't properly been introduced until three or four years back. When I set off on this journey to find myself, I came here, to Konoha, and had started my second year of high school. I was what you'd call 'an outcast'. I had no business with anyone, since I tried to lay low as best as I could and not to attract any attention to myself. But Then Neji recognized me. We'd met each other at joint parties. True, neither had tried to associate with the other, but we were familiar with the presence of each other. And when he saw me, I knew he'd recognized me right away."

Naruto frowned, stopping the redhead. "I don't understand. Why didn't you want people to know you?"

"That was my father's condition to allow me to come here. Had I allowed anyone to know who I was and identify my relation to the Sabakus, I would have to return and drop what he said to be a silly idea."

"Ahaa…and? What did Neji-san do?"

"He told me that if I wanted him to shut up, I'd have to be his friend. Which surprised me since he wasn't lacking any. But 'til now, he is refusing to tell me the reason for it."

Naruto smiled softly. "I think I understand it. It's because Gaara, you're really sweet and easy to talk to. When I'm around you, I taste a different life, and I like it. You view everything in different eyes. Your world is very interesting to me, and I think it was very interesting to him, too."

"I'm not really all that interesting. But thank you for the compliment."

"You're welcome. Now, tell me, there's something that's been on my mind for the past week, do you know Sasuke's brother?"

"His brother? You mean Itachi-san?"

The blond scowled. "I don't really know his name. But I know that he is Sasuke elder brother."

"…Well, from what I know, Sasuke only has one brother, Itachi-san. So, what happened to want to know about him?"

"Well, you see, he'd helped me in a situation but didn't identify himself, then when I told Sasuke, he said to stay away from him. Are they fighting or something? I didn't ask him since he was very bothered with it, and it didn't feel like it's my place to tell him about how to handle his family, since I don't know anything."

"And you want me to tell you?"

"All the information you know."

"Hmmm," Gaara placed a hand under his chin. "From what I recall, the Uchiha family works in different areas, and they have multiple corporations around the world. Mostly which are present in Japan. Their family consists of only them, Sasuke and his brother. I can't tell you of the details of this since it's best to ask Sasuke himself since it's his business to tell. But, what I can say is that the reason why Sasuke had probably said that is because he and his brother don't have that perfect brotherly relationship one would expect to have between bothers."

"They hate each other?"

"Umm…not to the extent of hating. Just dislike, from Sasuke's side, of course. I have only met Itachi-san approximately five times in my whole life, and he is a very reliable person. I don't see why Sasuke would dislike having such a person as his brother, not to forget that Itachi-san is holding the burden of running their huge business all by himself and only letting Sasuke mind one firm."

"Then, if I wanted to know the true reason for his dislike, I should ask Sasuke?"

Gaara nodded, "Correct. But I don't advise you to do that these days. The company he is running is going through troubles, since the market is bad and some employees want to hinder Sasuke's development. I think you should postpone your questions 'til he is free and relaxed. It will also help to know that he trusts you enough to tell you. Which will not be an easy thing to uphold."

Naruto looked up at the person beside him, then out to the dark rain and sighed. "Why the hell is everything so complicated?!"

"The world war wouldn't have happened if people could figure out the answer to this question of yours."

"Agghhh…!"

* * *

Naruto opened a closed eye when the side of the bed sunk a little, causing the water inside to wobble to the other side. He rose upon identifying the tired form of Sasuke sitting in the dark.

"Sasuke?"

"Sorry, did I wake you up?"

The blond shook his head and lit the lamp beside him. "Yes, you did, but that's not important, I have tomorrow off…how was the party?"

The raven removed the tie he was wearing and made to take off his jacket. "Cold, as always."

"That bad, huh?"

"I don't really want to talk about it. Scoop over a little."

Naruto moved a little and pulled the blanket off, exposing a warm area for Sasuke to take, he smiled when the dark-eyed male made himself comfortable, scooping close to him and laying a warm hand to pull him closer.

"That cold, eh?"

"Freezing."

"I thought it had stopped raining long ago. I guess the weather is still cold."

"Naruto,"

"Hmm?"

"I'll be gone for a while."

Naruto blinked into the darkness and nodded. "How long?"

"I don't know. It hasn't been decided, yet. But what I know is that I won't be back for at least a week."

"Hmm…a week, it's not that long."

"I said at least. It might take longer, two to three…no, even two months. I'm not sure how long it will be."

The blue-eyed male frowned not liking the words; yet, he ignored the restlessness that had started nagging at the back of his heart and asked in a calm tone. "Will I be assigned a different roommate for the long time you'll be away in?"

The bed under them was jiggled when the two human beings on it shifted their position so abruptly, with Naruto pinned to it. Blue orbs shone in the dark room with a hidden wonder.

"Is that all you care about?"

"Well, if you have to go, there's no helping it. Therefore, there's no need to get frustrated or sad about something neither of us can change."

"All that is logical. But how do you feel about it?"

Sharp eyes looked down at him and Naruto felt his heart release something that was foreign to him, he blinked the new emotion a stop. And voiced platonically.

"It would be lonely."

"Then say so from the beginning."

"Why? Would you stay?"

"No."

"Then like I said, there's no need. Now, get off. I have to get back to sleep."

"I thought you didn't have to get up tomorrow."

"I still need to sleep, though."

Sasuke didn't break the eye contact he had formed with the latter, and leaned down to capture Naruto's lips in a kiss, only to have the blond put both his tanned hands on Sasuke's lips, allowing him no access whatsoever.

Black eyes blinked in question, Naruto gave off a curt an explanation.

"I can't kiss you anymore."

Then withdrew his hands allowing Sasuke a chance to talk. "State your reasons."

"I just can't, Sasuke. Let it go with that."

"That's not the reason I asked for."

"Then deal with it. I can't kiss you anymore. I'll be betraying someone if I do."

The weight above him shifted as Sasuke returned to his side of the bed, letting Naruto heave a sigh of relief when his wishes were respected.

"It's that pink-haired girl that visited the other day, isn't it? It's because she likes me that you're refusing to kiss me." The words were more of a statement than a question and the blond knew that he could only tell so much.

"I…it's not because of that. Yes, I won't deny it's partially because she likes you, but the rest is because of me. I…this is not normal, what we're doing, normal friends don't kiss each other and I wa-"

"We're not normal friends, so stop with that. So, if you're feeling self-righteous then it's too late for that. And if you don't want to kiss me because you hate it, then that's a reason I will accept, but not this one. You don't think like this, it's all her fault. She put those thoughts into you."

And Naruto jumped to defend his best friend in an instant. "No, it's not! It's my own decision. You don't know me all that well to say it's not. So stop blaming her!"

Cold, dark eyes faced him when those words had left his mouth and Naruto felt chilled to the bone.

"You're right, I don't know you. All I know is that you were in the hospital after you lost your father in a car accident that you were the cause of and had to rehabilitate yourself there for three years. But all of that means nothing, since I don't know you at all!"

The blue orbs that were always so focused and straightforward went to become dots as Naruto's eyes widened. The words he was hearing, how did Sasuke come to find them out? His biggest secret was released. The life he was trying so hard to have hidden from others was exposed with no sweat. His sins were known.

"Ho-"

Sasuke rose from the waterbed and started walking towards the door that he'd just came in from.

"It's such a pity that you don't remember. I'll send someone for the things I'll need later."

And the door was closed locked behind him, leaving a stunned looking Naruto to stare at the shut door before the shock and those words register fully inside his brain, and when they did, one thing came to mind. He needed to treat this amnesia he was experiencing before he went mad with confusion.

* * *

**End of chapter four! Thank you all for reading and your support! :D Next chapter will be up when I finish it, stay tuned, and will be looking forward to your reviews, remember, the more you review, the more I get motivated to finish this story and update faster~ bye bye~ **


	5. Chapter Five

**Author's Notes:**

**None. Accept my thanks for your continuous support, my sugar-coated apology for the late update –but in my defence the site was totally acting out on me, it refused to allow me to upload the chapter for straight two days in a row T_T, I'm happy just to have it here now with no additional problems –, and one hundred roses for my amazing beta, XxDreaming of RealityxX, for reviewing this chapter 'til the very end. As always, have a nice day and enjoy the chapter~**

* * *

"How long has it been now?"

"One week and three days."

"And how are you taking it?"

"One day at a time. You see, what bothers me is that he was angry at me."

"Because you can't remember him?"

Naruto nodded and threw the ball up just to have it come down with the intent to hit him on the face once more; but he was keen enough to dodge it, grab it, and throw it up again. Playing a game of catch with dear gravity while his best friend sat on his waterbed sipping the juice she loved.

"I can't remember him.I've tried everything I can, but I'm unable to remember. It's like my brain had put a dark-stamp on that period of my life."

"Then, how about doing this, try to remember relying on the information that he's provided you with."

Frowning at his long-time friend, he responded. "I've already tried that. And it didn't work. Can't you remember hearing his name or seeing someone like him when you came to visit me at the hospital, Sakura?"

Sakura played with the straw she was holding in her mouth and shook her head with a scowl. "I can't say that I have. And I don't think it's a possibility to have met him then forgot about it, 'cause I'll never forget a face as fine as his."

"You're of zero use, Sakura!" He whined, earning himself a roll.

"Just suck it up already. What's so wrong with him hating you, anyways?"

"Okay, let's get one thing here straight. He doesn't hate me, he is just mad at me, which I understand."

"Well, I don't. So what if you can't remember him, it's not like he's the only living person you've met in your course of living. I hate how he's turned you into his puppy, pulling strings and all."

"Sakura, I'm no one's puppy. I just want to get along well with him, is that so bad?"

"No. But he obviously doesn't wish it, why bother then? You have many other people who are important in your life, and would actually appreciate you for who you are, without asking you to do anything for them in return. Why run behind the person who's making your life a living hell?"

The blond gave her a sweet smile, and tried to have her understand, sitting upright then saying. "He isn't making me run behind him, or force myself to do anything for his sake. The reason why Sasuke wants me to remember him so bad is because he wants me to recall the past that we shared and not treat him like a complete stranger, which is the reason why he left, angry, in the first place. I said some things I shouldn't have and it made him mad. I hurt him."

Sakura heaved a sigh at the deep troubled look inside Naruto's blue orbs that she always found very fascinating, and reached a hand to put it on his shoulder, providing silent support.

"Don't worry, Naruto. I will think of a way for you to get that lost period back!"

"Thank you. I knew you were the only one I could count on for this."

"And I won't disappoint you. Now, tell me of all the information he's told you about himself concerning the situation. Any little detail can be a crucial clue."

The blond nodded and started telling her of the words that had slipped from Sasuke's mouth at multiple occasions. And his smile had only grown wider when she was nodding her full attention to him. In fact, that morning, as he woke up alone and the events that had happened the night before came rushing through his veins, he felt a stab of pain that wasn't familiar to him throb close to his heart. He remembered the cold tone, the icy features and the final words that he was left with. Now, he was alone, he went to college, leaving an empty room and coming back to an empty room; nothing changed. The dishes he left on the sink were still on the sink the moment he came back, the trash, the papers; everything was reminding him of the fact that Sasuke had gone with no apparent date as to when he'd be back.

And for some reason, that thought rattled him to the core.

He finished telling the girl sitting on the bed beside him everything that he could remember, and she crossed her arms, forming an idea.

"I think that our best bet is that he was also a patient in the hospital, since there is no other clue that says he knows you from somewhere else," she had to add at the small light of hope that was forming inside Naruto's sapphire oceans. "But, the hospital you were in was vast, with many departments and units. He could have gotten in with a broken foot or a heart failure. And I doubt that the hospital personnel will give us information about patients, especially loaded ones."

The blond slumped back on the bed, disappointed. "Then there's really no way into remembering him."

"Hmm…there might be a way. But it's a bit unusual."

"What? I'm open to everything right now."

"Then…okay! You know how Ino likes to have adventures and stuff, right? See, there was this one time; she forced me to tag along to China Town, as she was meeting a friend of hers, named Shikamaru something, he had a friend with him, named Rock Lee. This Lee person knows how to perform different stuff, like old herbal medications, acupuncture, and venipuncture etcetera. So, how about we go see him? I really think he can help you retrieve your lost memories."

"Well, I don't have a problem with it. Anytime he's free, I can go with you there."

"Great! I'll ask him right now!"

Naruto blinked at her. "You have his cell number?"

"Oh, sweet, naïve Naruto. Of course I do! Who do you think I am?! Every dude I meet falls in love with me, and this one fell hard!"

He sweat-dropped at her and listened as his best friend switched to her flirty-mode to get him the appointment he wanted. Sitting back, watching her, he just hoped that it would all pay off and he would finally get a chance to remove the dark stamp forbidding him from the memory of an old friend.

* * *

Okay, so he was fine with the huge teddy bear that had come to hug him as soon as he walked into the alien shop, and also he didn't scream when said bear had crushed a rib or two in him apparently hugging him, nor did he object when the bear turned out to be the person that Sakura apparently thought was about to retrieve his lost memories. But! When that bear came at him with sharp alien objects that didn't quite settle into being either needles or knives and wanted to poke his skull with them, he would draw a line! That was his fucking brain they were talking about here! And there was no fucking way in the seven hells that he was going to allow a weird, thick-eye-browed man to poke his way there!

Sakura sighed and rubbed her aching temple at the blond gluing himself to the wall like a scared kitty, and reasoned. "Naruto, I know he doesn't look professional, but he is, so come down from there and let's get this over with!"

"Yes, my youthful friend! There's nothing to be afraid of~" An extremely happy Lee said in a melodious tone.

"Get the fuck away from me, you freak! Hell breaks loose before I allow you to come inches close to me!"

"Naruto, stop being a child! He's not going to hurt you," Sakura added when the other male wanted to say something to Naruto. "And Lee-san, could you spare us a minute here please…alone."

A clearly disappointed, deeply black haired male nodded and left his office to the girl he liked. Sakura put her hands on her hips, watching as the door was closed and an alarmed Naruto gave off a relieved sigh.

"I can't believe that _that thing_ is who you want to treat me!"

"_That thing_ knows his shit! And right now, he's your best shot!"

"No, he isn't! I can just go to any _normal_ doctor or psychologist and have them treat me!"

Sakura rolled her eyes, still trying to get past Naruto's thick skull. "And how much will that cost? You're already running out of money, and you don't have enough to spend on your next meal let alone a whole session with a big shot doctor!"

"I don't need a big shot doctor; all I need is one who won't make me brain-damaged!"

"And this one won't! Look here Naruto; he is cheap, reasonable, and well-educated. His family has been in this business for ages now, and he's been doing this profession since he was in diapers! So, he's the best one you can afford. Plus, I can vouch for him…"

Naruto shook his head at her. "I still don't know about him, Sakura. Didn't you see the creepy way his eyes were glittering at me?! How do you expect me to hand over my brain to him?!"

"The same way I'm expecting that you still wish to get back your lost memories. Naruto, did you not know that he has patients lining on his front door seeking treatment? He is very famous, and hard to get an appointment with, I had to pull myself three dinner dates with him for this appointment, three fucking dinner dates! So, you better NOT let my hard work drain down the toilet!"

Naruto felt a familiar shiver run through his core at her glare; since young he wasn't good with an angry-Sakura, but what she was asking him was also very hard thing to do. He pouted.

"What will you do if I come out losing a part of my mind?"

"That won't happen. He's just going to insert needles into you. Here, look, see for yourself how thin these needles are," Sakura pointed to a sterile needle placed on the table a few inches away from her. "Nothing will happen to you, and if it does, the hospital is only three blocks away. We can treat you in no time."

"I still d-"

"Naruto! You want to remember the prick, don't you?!"

"Yeah..."

"Then just focus on that! And stop thinking of bad outcomes, nothing will happen to you, hopefully."

Golden locks moved as Naruto hopped back to the ground, making a happy Sakura stand up abruptly from the chair she was occupying to head out and call the bored male in. Naruto just released a loud sigh and waited for the crazy Chinese to lay his hands on him.

Sakura was asked to stay out as Naruto gave her a set of pleading orbs, begging for that not to happen, but she had to abide with the acupuncturist and left the spacious office. She had waited outside for about half an hour until two set of big black pupils came inviting her back in. Sakura blinked at the way her best friend's head had been turned into a needles-farm.

"Is he okay?"

When blue orbs faced her with Naruto's scowling face, her answer came to her.

"Yes. There's nothing wrong with him. I just allowed you to enter because his youthful mouth demanded your presence, and it was a bit hard for me to connect the meridians with him refusing to loosen up his nerves." A momentary scowl presented itself on the experienced male's face, but it vanished before Sakura could even blink an eyelid.

"Alright, I'm here now, Naruto. So, relax and allow him to work, okay?"

Naruto nodded as best as he could with the other hovering over him. Lee sat back on his fancy chair, and began moving some of the needles around, chanting a soothing tone to have his patient relax some more.

"I sense some tension in the stream; your qi isn't flowing right. What I'm going to do next should relieve a bit of it." Another needle joined the rest of its sisters, and Naruto was forced to close his eyes as a sudden chill ran down his spine.

"Are you sure he is alright?" A concerned Sakura asked at the closed eyes.

Immediately, happy orbs faced her. "Never worry, my fair lady. He is doing well. I just moved the obstacles around his qi, which should allow him to relax."

"Qi? What's that?"

"Hmm…it's kinda hard to put into words. But if I must, then the closest definition to it would be the energy flowing through our veins and arteries. When a person is healthy, his qi is flowing right, nothing in its path, like a fast-flowing stream, at which the person feels calm and serene, yet, if this stream was to have obstacles, the flow of the qi will be blocked, and in some cases this leads to diseases."

"…But Naruto is well now."

"That could be so to the naked eye. But I can see that he isn't. Even though you brought him here to be treated from the blockage of the qi in his brain, what I sense he mostly needs right now is to relieve the qi around his legs more."

Sakura spared a look at the blond and his facial expression was passive, providing her of zero clue of whether he was feeling good or bad. She spoke.

"Do you think that his lost memories have something to do with the qi in his legs?"

"Hmm…I can't answer you this just yet. But what I can tell you is that our qi also hold some of our memories in it. What I believe the case here is that there's an overall disturbance in his body's essential qi. Some complications have arisen and a part of his qi was lost, along with his memories."

"Then, can you get it back?"

"Well, I'm not certain, yet. But let me consult my grandfather, he has been doing this for far more years than I, maybe he has an idea about how I should pursue his treatment."

Sakura gave off a sweet smile that tied the other's heart with its force. She felt herself giggle at the way he seemed to be turning redder than a tomato, and a relieved thought about how her supposed three upcoming dates weren't going to be as bad as she had thought them to be at the beginning came back to lighten the inside of her heart.

"I have a question. If you're still not sure about how to get his lost memories back, why have you implanted those needles into his skull?"

The black haired male grinned at her, showing a very-bright set of teeth. "Your friend is very stressed out. Whatever it's he's facing, it's leaving a cloud over his qi, and if it continues untreated, there's a high possibility that he might develop an illness. So, what I'm doing is help his qi clear up, but this is only temporary, he'll have to find the cause of his stress and rip it out."

Sakura's brows met in a dissatisfied scowl. "But this is the reason why we're here. He is stressed out because of his memories. He wants them back."

"No, Sakura-san, that's not the reason. I can sense that his cause of stress is something that has happened recently, since not all of his qi is troubled, only a portion. Just tell him to search of the recent event that placed a huge impact on his life, and to change it."

Inner-Sakura began thinking, quickly linking events together; she bit her lower lip when the answer came with glaring, sharp black eyes to her.

"I'll tell him that. So, how long will it take for this session to end up?"

At the sickly, happy grin, she sweat-dropped.

"Three hours, Sakura-san."

* * *

"I had no idea that you were into acupuncture, Naruto!" A clearly amused Neji voiced the moment his eyes set track on the golden haired male, sitting respectfully on his bed, with his lips sipping tea that was served to him by a nonchalant Gaara.

"Eh?" He sounded not following through with the long haired, faint-eyed male. Neji started clarifying.

"Two days ago, you went into China Town, to meet with an acupuncturist, right?"

"Yes…but how did you know?"

Neji winked with a mischievous smirk on his smooth lips. "Nothing goes behind my back here, little Naru-chin~"

"He and Rock Lee, your acupuncturist, have been friends since junior high school. Yesterday they were chatting about you." Gaara soon came to explain, disregarding the small glare he was given from his roommate with a silent, "There's no need to toy with him."

"Ooh, that makes sense. I went there because a friend of mine kinda forced me to seek his help; did he tell you anything about me?"

Neji picked up the tea he was given now that he was back into his room, and shook his head with a smile. "Lee won't tell his patient's secrets to anyone. Rest assured**;** I know nothing about why you visited him. And I have no interest in finding out and digging your dirty secrets, since each one of us has one or two in his own closet."

Naruto gave off an apologetic shook. "Sorry, didn't mean it like that."

"No worries. I know what you meant. So, tell me, how is Sasuke's absence affecting you?"

At those words, the blond's face had a sudden change of expressions, as a sad looking smile decorated his handsome features. He answered with a heavy tone that had the redhead pay a closer attention to his friend.

"The room is really quiet…I miss having him around."

Neji blinked looking at his own roommate, who nodded to whatever silent conversation they were having. He then extended his arm and ruffled Naruto's soft hair, releasing an assuring wave. "Chibi, you're very sweet, I think you're the first roommate who has actually lasted all that long with Sasuke and is actually missing him now that he's away. Most of the ones that had lasted – and believe me, none have lasted as long as you have – didn't believe it when Sasuke would be absent for a day or two to demand a room change."

"Yeah, but those don't know him. Sasuke's not all that bad."

"I think so too. That's why I said you're sweet. Sasuke will be glad to hear that."

Before Neji could take his hand back, the blond was up on his two feet with a panicking look inside his azure orbs. "No! No! No! No! You can't tell him! Whatever it is, please don't let him know!"

A calm Gaara slowly took hold of Naruto's hand and seated him back on the bed, with a comforting tone, he reassured. "Calm down, Naruto. No one's going to tell him anything. Everything will be as you want it to be. Just relax and take a deep breath."

The two other males waited until the tanned male was calm, then a long haired Neji opened his mouth saying. "Naruto, I'm assuming this here, and you can shut me up if you don't want me to continue, but you have not spoken to Sasuke at all since he's left, correct?"

Blue orbs avoided those beautiful lilac eyes, and their question. But knowing that he needed to provide an answer after his sudden fit, Naruto bit the inside of his lips and responded in a strained voice. "I can't talk to him. He's mad at me; I won't talk to him until I can remember."

"Remember what?"

"…"

"Neji." Gaara shook his head at his roommate and got a nod as an answer.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. But seeing as how I actually like you and I think that you will be a good influence on Sasuke, I'm going to do something and tell you one of his secrets. As his friend, you also need to have some information – which I know would be hell before he tells it to you himself – about him. There's just one condition to me telling you this."

"Which is?"

Neji gave off a wink and chirped at the attentive blond. "You just have to promise me that you won't tell him that I was the one who let you know, okay~?"

Naruto looked up from his own little world at a happy-looking Neji, and nodded. "I won't tell."

"Outta boy! Okay, you know how Sasuke always hides the sides besides his eyes with his bangs?"

"Aha…"

"Well, to people, it's just a normal hair style, but in truth, he does it to hide a scar. Now, I can't tell you what that scar is all about since it's his story to tell, but what I can say is that it was the reason why Sasuke was once blind. At first, he couldn't see a thing, bitch black darkness! But then, gradually, with science, he was able to retrieve his sight. It's in fact a hidden truth that not a lot of people know about, since he was able to behave right without his sight…well, it was more like trained to live right without his sight, which all was made so that the public wouldn't know that one of the Uchiha heirs had a disability."

Naruto's eyes went a little wide at the words, and in a faint whisper, he choked out. "…That's horrible."

"Hmm…it wasn't all that bad really. Sasuke was originally a spoiled brat who matured into a first-grade asshole, so people didn't feel any sadness over him. Only divine punishment. And I think he also thought so, because he didn't hate the fact that he lost his sight."

"I don't understand. Why would he think he's being punished?"

"Well, that involves a chapter in his life that's his to tell. But I can tell you one thing, growing up in a wealthy family with everyone's eyes set on you isn't very heart-warming. Sometimes you'd just want to do something to escape it all."

Naruto looked at his cold fingertips and the story that Gaara had told him a few days back about himself came to ring at his door, he nodded his understanding. "Just like what Gaara has done?"

Startled, lilac orbs looked at him and then back at the redhead who was keeping watch over them from a distance, and Neji smiled. "Just like what Gaara's done."

The blond nodded and before he could complete the words that he was forming to pronounce, his cell started ringing; he excused himself politely from the two and left their room, thanking Neji for his help and closing the door softly behind him. Neji turned his head causing his soft locks to fall to his side softly when they were alone.

"I didn't think you would tell him."

"I just felt like it."

"Gaara-kun," Neji rose from the bed he was sitting on, and made slow steps towards the other male leaning on the wall, "He's the first person you've told besides me, I think I'm starting to get jealous."

The redhead blinked when pale arms circled around his neck, he explained. "He's a friend. You couldn't have possibly thought I'd be keeping that secret for this long without informing a single soul?"

"Hmm…maybe I did."

"Then you've grown stupid."

"That's a very farfetched possibility."

Soft, rosy lips fell on top of Gaara's and as he was pushed further into the wall, he had no other choice but to open his mouth to the wandering tongue that was demanding entrance, and allow it in. Gaara had gotten used by now to Neji's flirtatious nature, and at times, a part of him was questioning if he actually liked this intrusion on his life, or he was just sitting there, allowing the flow to take him wherever it went. The latter choice was closer to the truth.

They broke off with Neji removing his hands, and licking the passive lips he loved so much.

"If you two haven't reached the phase of kissing each other, then I'm still ahead of him."

Gaara rolled his eyes and walked over, taking the dirty cups to the sink. "I just told you, he's just a friend."

"And I'm just a friend."

"No, you're not."

The long haired raven smirked, knowing that it all came down to that simple sentence, and he understood what the other was trying to say hidden behind it.

"You bet your cute ass I am not!"

"Hn."

* * *

Naruto closed his cell with a sigh and looked at the blue sky above his head. Chirping birds at the background with the noise of people living their lives clouded his vision. Everything looked so obvious and clear, with no turbidity whatsoever, peace was surrounding him and yet all that he could feel was his soul clench on him and mistiness blur his sight. He shook his head and his legs started on moving, taking him on a walk since the weather was, for a change, clear and sunny.

His legs took him strolling close by; he allowed his headphones to drive him by the hand and decided to clear his mind of every little thought and to block the heavy old memories that were weighing on his being. As a nice melody started playing, Naruto felt a smile flutter to his lips. This melody was his father's favourite. It had taken him a long time in order to compose it right and search the web for it. He remembered when he'd asked Sakura for music lessons when he was still at the hospital so he could write the tones himself, and not just hum them like normal people do. Oh, what tranquil time that was.

Learning music was one of his father's wishes for him, but since he never had any interest in it, he'd never taken music classes before. Naruto felt the smile on his lips stretch when the melody changed into a verse he liked. Walking on the pavement away from the cars, his eyes caught on the park that Sasuke took him to that other time. He made a detour and came face to face with its entrance. His eyes sparkled at the lively atmosphere in there. On one side there was a woman playing with her kids, the other a group of friends chatting life away. People were scattered throughout the huge park minding their business and living their life in fun.

He walked further inside, searching for that fountain that he was taken to that day. His eyes got a warm feeling to them when he did, and as if caught in a trance; he made his way towards it. Heaving the melody thrusting inside his eardrum.

"Please! Catch that paper!"

Naruto blinked as a paper came flying towards him, his hands moved before his brain did, and he caught the paper right before it fell into the water and rendered itself invalid. Blinking, he turned back as his brain had finally caught up with his actions and registered the cry of help that had been initiated.

A brunet man with compassionate dark brown eyes and a scar that extended across the upper border of his nose was making his way towards Naruto with a relieved expression on his kind face.

"Thank you," The older stranger had started, "It would have been a very hard task to get another copy had this one been ruined."

Naruto returned the thankful smile with one of his own and handed the paper back, while taking his headphones off to clearly hear what the other was saying instead of just reading lips.

"No problem. I'm glad I could help."

"I'm glad, name is Umino Iruka. Nice to meet you."

Naruto accepted the hand that was extended to him and identified himself. "Uzumaki Naruto. Nice to meet you, too."

For a second, the blond detected a change in the other's face as the eyes that were compassionate turned soft and warm, and the hand he was holding tightened its grip on him for a second, but all of these signs were put on the back of his mind for another time as the brunet started on talking.

"…If I'm not mistaken, you go to Konoha University for Science and Technology, right?"

Naruto blinked and nodded, "Yes. Have I met you there?"

Long hands waved the possibility away. "No, you haven't. I teach there, but I don't teach Engineering major. Therefore, we've never been introduced."

The blue-eyed teen wanted to ask of how the other knew him then if he wasn't a student he'd taught or had met each other in campus, but something inside his heart told him that getting that information was unnecessary, and that this person wasn't dangerous, but a trustworthy stranger that he shouldn't be afraid of. And Naruto was true to his hunch.

"Is that so? Then, what do you teach?"

"Med-students. I teach them immunology. I would be glad if you could come to one of my lectures. Even if it doesn't concern your major."

Naruto smiled as they started walking towards a bench the teacher had left his bag on. "I wouldn't mind that. I know a student there, a second or third year student; I'm not too sure which year. Though his name is Neji, Hyuuga Neji, have you heard of him?"

"Oh, yes! Neji-kun is quite the brilliant student, he would be a very good doctor had he let go of that side of him that doesn't like people."

"Yeah…I also think so. But he is a good person."

"I didn't say he wasn't. Tell me, Naruto-kun…" The man stopped walking, and looked at the kid beside him. "It's alright to call you Naruto-kun, isn't it?"

The golden haired male nodded. "Yes, it's fine."

"Alright, Naruto-kun, tell me, where are you staying these days?"

"On the campus's dorm. Konoha Dormitory. Do you know it?"

"I do. Are you comfortable in there?"

"Well," Naruto sat down as they came to the bench, and the other man began arranging the paper Naruto had saved in the bag alongside other papers that were placed inside a file. "I was, but for some reason, these days I don't feel like I want to go back there just yet."

"Hmm…that could happen. When you stay in an environment for a long time, you may begin to dislike the environment. Have you thought about maybe changing the room you're in? For a change in the layout, doing that usually does the trick when you get bored with your environment."

Naruto flashed him a smile. "No, that won't be necessary. The layout isn't my problem since my roommate had had the whole of the room remodelled. I think what I lack is probably myself."

"Yourself?"

The brunet beside him had a genuine concerned look on his face that brought a familiar feeling to Naruto, and he began searching his mind for him. Finally, Naruto gave off a smile and replied with a question of his own.

"Have we met before? Because for some reason, I can't shake feeling that we have met previously off."

A true happy smile painted on the other's lips, and his hands extended to take Naruto's own into his. With a voice that competed with the serene chirp of a robin in its tenderness, he said. "When you were eight years old, I met you. I was still a student back then and your father had given me a huge help that I can never repay. That day, the day of the funeral, I was present…but you weren't there."

Naruto smiled back at the man. "…That was a hard time in my life. I was still at the hospital unconscious, so, I couldn't attend the funeral. Thank you for attending. I'm sure my father would be very happy to hear that you've gone there to see him off."

"Whatever I do, I'll never be able to pay an ounce of my debt to him."

"I'm sure that's not true. Just by telling me how much he's done for you, you repaid him a part your debt."

The man named Iruka released his hold on Naruto's hand and presented a thankful smile. "You've turned out to be a very great young man, Naruto-kun."

"Thank you, but I'm not too sure about that."

"Is there something troubling you? You said you'd lost yourself. If you're willing to tell me, I'm willing to listen."

Naruto looked from the man who turned out to be his father's friend and back to his hands. Then an old feeling thrust inside his veins, telling him that it would be alright to let this one in without fearing any misfortune to befall any of them. With hesitant lips, he opened them and said.

"It feels as if I've lost something precious to me. I have some memories that are fogged out in my head, and no matter how hard I try, I can't seem to remember. I've tried to get clues about this and had visited an acupuncturist. But even so, I can't remember. And the thing I forgot is very drear to me."

Iruka looked up from the pained expression and into the vast, blue sky. "You know, sometimes when you're trying hard to remember something, you can't. So, the best solution to do at times like these is to forget."

Naruto blinked at the other. "Forget?"

"Yes. You have to forget that you're trying to remember, so you can. You see, the mind is a mysterious place, when you try to locate something in it; it's like searching in complete darkness, which would be very hard for you to find anything inside. And most likely, you'll tire yourself out before you can find the thing you're looking for. But, when you let loose and forget that you're straining your mind for something, the answer in most cases reveals itself to you. So…just forget."

"It's certainly a way I have never thought of. And you're sure that it will help me?"

"Well," The brunet started standing up, "You'll never know, and there's no harm in trying, is there?"

"I guess not."

"There you have it! Now, Naruto-kun, I'd have to leave since I have a lecture to catch. I really hope we can get together some time and talk."

Naruto stood up and nodded. "Yes, I would like that very much."

Iruka pulled out a card with his contact information and handed it to Naruto who accepted it with a smile.

"Call me if you need anything. Don't be shy, whatever it is that you want you can ask. Your father's done so much for me, and I would love nothing more than to repay him."

"Thank you and I will."

Suddenly, Naruto was taken into a bone crushing hug, and the only thing he could do was hug back. The hug had given him a sense of comfort and for a second, he thought he was able to get back that lost sensation he could always sense whenever his dad was hugging him. The adult let go of Naruto with last words to assure him that there was still a person in this world that is caring for him deeply.

As he waved Iruka goodbye, Naruto's right hand felt the back of his hoodie, and wetness was present. He found himself smiling, thanking God that his father had some amazing friends who were still missing him and crying for his absence. Then Naruto exited the spacious park, with the cloudiness that was shadowing his eyes lifted for a while as he began forgetting his tension and abiding the other's advice. To forget.

* * *

Jade orbs rolled at the male who was counting the days while his soul was being released slowly from his body. Gaara frowned at the way Naruto was pouncing moods. One day, he looked perfectly fine, almost back to his joyful, happy nature, the next he'd be surrounded by a heavy dark aura that gave off a warning ray. The redhead stood from the table he was occupying and made his way to the Engineer-to-be.

"Hello."

Naruto momentarily looked up from his half-finished dish and gave off a smile to the redhead. "Gaara! What brings you here?"

"I came for you. You finished with all of your lectures for the day, right?"

"Umm…yeah."

"Good. Come on, let's go!"

"Go? Where to?"

Gaara spared a look to the crowded looking cafeteria that he'd gotten himself into, and snorted in disgust at it. Truthfully, he never liked engaging with other colleges within the university. He liked his division, and wasn't fascinated by others. But this time, as he gazed at crazed looking engineers, he knew he was forced to come here and do this, for the sake of his friend and himself.

"To the place where you need to be right now."

Naruto just blinked as he was taken by the hand and led away. He kept his mouth shut as each time he'd try to ask Gaara for details, he'd be met with a vague answer or a "wait and you'll see.", so he decided to wait and see. As he was taken into a stunning, sandy-yellowish Ferrari, Naruto closed his gaping mouth and got in. Gaara started his engine and before the students surrounding his car could get a glance at the man riding such an expensive looking car, he was out of the department.

Naruto**,** on the other hand, sighed, beating himself mentally at not owning a nice car like the people he seemed to interact with did. But a small part of him was glad that he could at least get to feel the inside of such cars. And he secretly thanked Sasuke and Gaara for owning such amazing cars and allowing him the privilege of experiencing such an experiment.

Gaara was an excellent driver. Naruto's eyes could only see a blur as they sailed through the streets, avoiding foreign cars that never matched to the Ferrari they were in. A few remote streets, new neighbourhoods and a different set of buildings were shown to him as the car came to stop beside a fancy looking house.

Naruto was nicely kicked out from the car.

"This is your new home. You're going to live here until the bastard finishes up with his business, then you two are welcomed back into the dorm. Don't even think about coming back alone. All of your stuff had been taken inside. You'll find a man inside who will inform you of everything that you need to know. Your transportation, how you will live and etcetera. And Naruto,"

"…Y-Yeah?"

"Catch!"

Gaara throw a set of keys to the dumbfounded male. "These are your house keys from this day on. Try not to lose them."

With those as last parting words, Gaara drove off with his fancy car, leaving a dumbfounded Naruto to gaze with unfocused eyes at the keys in his hand, and the huge doors facing him. His mind took a few minutes to register the whole information, then gulping down the lump; he walked towards the huge door gates and tried out the set of keys, key by key.

To his luck, the third time was the charm as the big gates opened their arms to him. Naruto walked inside clutching his backpack. The enormous garden that met his sight was very enticing; his eyes didn't know where to look, be it to the beautiful flowers being grown at the front, or the huge, shady trees in the back. Naruto uncertainly closed the gates behind him and made his way further inside the vast house.

Again, a door met him, and he figured it to be the master door leading to the inside of the house. Once more, he ruffled through the keys to find the definite key, and since they all looked the same, with the same brand, it took him a while to open the door, but it did open, proving to him that Gaara's words were true. He walked with still uncertain steps further inside, but this time, as he walked, he started calling.

"Hello? Is there anyone in?"

No one answered him as he skipped what seemed to be a front hall and entered further inside. His eyes blinked the stunning layout away. It was obvious that whoever chose to decorate the house had a very sophisticated sense of art. The design features were noticeable. Giving off a clam and open look for visual appeal alongside calmness and smoothness. The furniture was made with solid colours that held contrasting properties against a blank slate of walls and floor. It also had sleek, straight lines with sharp corners. Few accent pieces were used to decorate the area, and Naruto's eyes didn't know where to settle again.

Before he could make his travel up the exquisite looking stairs, a coughing sound had him look behind him, he squealed just like a moth caught on fire.

A silver haired male was standing behind him; with his body clothed in an expensive looking suit that made him look professional to the bone. Naruto watched as the stranger quirked a brow at him.

"I'd assume you're Uzumaki Naruto, correct?"

"Y-YES!" He quickly clammed both his hands on his mouth and replied in a more humane manner. "Yes. And you are?"

"I guess Gaara didn't inform you about me."

"Umm…he didn't really say much. But…are you by any chance the person I should meet here?"

"Right. Now get down from there, I'll have to fill you in the best I can quickly, since I have to go catch an appointment."

Naruto nodded, making his way down the stairs quickly. He was guided to another area, the kitchen. He felt his eyes blind from the sparkles that associated with the magnificent place, and he shied away when his stomach started grumbling at the view of the full fridge when the strange silver haired male had decided to open it and get them some refreshments.

"If you're hungry, you can prepare yourself something to eat from the fridge. Everything you desire is in. And if it's not to your liking, you could order in. Anyway, sit."

The blond looked at the comfortable looking armchairs placed in the middle of the kitchen that didn't really look like a normal kitchen –more like a living room or some other fancy thing – and sat on one of them. The other male came to sit in the opposite armchair with the juice he'd taken out of the fridge, poured onto delicate looking glass.

"So, what did Gaara tell you?"

"Umm…he said I would be staying here, and that all of my stuff has already been brought in."

"That's it?"

"And that you're going to tell me about how to live here and the transportation to college. That's it."

The silver haired male, rolled the visible eye Naruto could see from the locks of hair and lit himself a cigarette that Naruto didn't appreciate very much. "That little rascal. I knew he hated talking much, but he could've at least given you other information about the situation."

"Yea, I would have liked that, too."

"Doesn't matter, I'll be telling you what you need to know. For starters, I'm Hatake Kakashi; I'm responsible for the head security system in Uchiha corporations, the ANBU system. As to why you're present today, you see, you'll be living with our little president in here. This sudden change has been initiated because he seems to be needing another person beside him, and since the current situation had taken affect, we can't trust lots of people to be around him. Neji-kun has recommended you to us. He said that you used to room in together with Sasuke and no troubles have aroused between you two so far, right?"

"Yeah, nothing had happened between us, but to live with him so suddenly…did…did Sasuke say okay to this?"

The cigarette he hated so much was blowing toxic air to his face; Naruto waved the dangerous air away. "No, his consent in this matter is irrelevant, and honestly, we don't need it, we could do better without it."

"So, he doesn't know?"

"Weren't you listening just now?"

"I can't do this if Sasuke doesn't approve of me staying here."

The man known now as Hatake Kakashi sighed at the kid before him and explained. "Look, I'm his head security. And I know what's best to protect him, not just from the dangerous stuff outside, but also from his own self. This is a step in the right direction, and if you wish to aid him, you should stay by his side…in this house."

"Why is Sasuke staying here, anyways?"

"It's easy. Here, no one can get hurt beside him. But if he stayed at the dorm, the people who are trying to hurt him will not hesitate to pursue other people to harm if they are staying close to their target, which is him. So, since he doesn't wish for people to be hurt because of him, he'd preferred to stay in this place instead of hurting anyone."

"But…" Naruto felt a million thought run inside his brain, and his voice didn't know which one to project out, but one thought shone brighter than the rest in his mind. "I still can't do it. Unless he says it's okay that I stay, I can't. I will be betraying him if I do."

"For a start, Sasuke is as stubborn as a damn mule; he'll never allow you to remain with him. And do tell me exactly how you'll be betraying him if you did."

"You said he left because he didn't want people to get hurt because of him, now if I were to come here and stay with him, won't I be putting myself in danger and thus betraying his initial reason for leaving?"

"That's not called betraying and I'll be protecting you if you live here, since I'm staying in this house as well. So, if you don't have any other reasons beside those two, you can consider this your new home."

"Wait!" Naruto shouted to the man who started standing up, checking his watch and frowning that he was already running late. "I still can't stay 'til he says okay!"

"Look, you can talk all of this with him when he returns. Right now, I really need to head out so can we continue with this later?"

Naruto nodded, "Yes, no problem."

"Good. As I said, treat yourself as if you're at home. You know the way to the kitchen already, and you're free to explore the premises, but you're going to find some locked rooms, please, leave them be. Alas, there're some guards guarding the place, so, you don't have to be frightened, nothing is going to happen to you even if I'm not here."

"…I wasn't really worried about that. Then**…**" Naruto started, walking behind the male as he neared the front door. "When is Sasuke coming back?"

"In three hours' time. Your luggage has been placed in the north eastern room upstairs, just search around and when you find the room with your luggage, that's your room. Don't open the door to anyone. All of the residence of this house have their own set of keys to get in with. Hold yours not to lose them, either. Since you'll not be allowed in without them."

"Alright. I'll make sure to do as you've instructed."

A ruffle was made to his golden hair, and Naruto felt a swift protest float that he wasn't a small child to be petted on the head, but let it slide as not to be disrespectful to the bodyguard.

"You're such a good boy. Take care."

"I will, and thank you!"

With that, Naruto closed the front door and looked behind him at the beautiful place that had actually resembled a palace in his sight. Then with a long sigh, and a grumbling stomach, he began his long journey into exploring his new surroundings.

* * *

Black orbs stared silently at the mess sleeping on their bed. Their owner named Uchiha Sasuke had them stare with fascination at the other male that had held tightly onto the silky pillows under his shiny head. They suppressed a hidden roll when drool was coming from the other's mouth reaching just the area where darkness ruled and they were unable to see further. Pale hands stretched themselves jealous of the eyes and removed a lock away from Naruto's face, then soundlessly tucked the tanned chest into the heavy blankets away from the cold.

Sasuke loosened his tie and sat on the big comfortable chair a few inches away from his bed. He sipped quietly at his tea whilst his brain contained millions of thoughts in it. The most powerful one was why was his roommate here? Sleeping so soundly on his bed. How did he enter? When did he come? Who allowed him here?

A different set of questions was also running through his brain. But, as his head told him to wake up from his trance and kick the other back to his former dorm, his organs refused to obey. He looked back at Naruto's sleeping face, and he was stabbed again in his heart. No, he could never find the courage in him to wake that beautiful face up. So, once again, his heart won the battle when it came to Naruto.

Sasuke bit the inside of his gum at his own weakness. Having Naruto here was a mistake. A mistake that he was determined to have fixed…and soon.

A groaning sound came from the blond dominating his bed and slowly, Sasuke watched as those closed orbs opened to greet him. He remained silent waiting for Naruto to fully awake.

The blond rubbed his eyes, trying to get used to the darkly lit room slowly. As he was able to finally view in the dark, he felt a smile plaster at his lips when he came face to face with the guy that was the source of his three-week torture. Without the slightest hesitation, Naruto rushed the small distance separating him from Sasuke and jumped on the latter, wrapping both his tanned arms around his neck and drawing him closer.

"Sasuke…I missed you."

The raven remained passive to the sweet familiar smell that was surrounding him again, and asked in a monotone that didn't descend well on Naruto's ears, "Why are you here?"

Naruto only tightened his grip on Sasuke and said back in a calm tone. "I missed you."

"That's not what I'm asking."

"Yes, I know. But you're coming to ask me the wrong way," Naruto removed his arms away as to give himself a mean to view Sasuke's face in. He felt his smile mature into a bright grin at the set of annoyed eyes. "We've not seen each other for three whole weeks and four days. Don't you have something else you want to say to me?"

"No, I don't. The only thing I want to know is what are you doing here, everything else is irrelevant."

Naruto sighed and went back to the bed to sit on its comfortable edge. "Figures. But I have something to say, I had missed you, a lot. It's true when we've parted ways; I thought I'll be lonely for a while. But I couldn't recognize how lonely until I'd experienced these weeks. And I came to learn something important in them. Having you around is very important to me."

"…Naruto, what's your objective in telling me this?"

"I have no objective; I just wanted you to know."

Sasuke put the cup down from his hands and stood walking towards the roommate that had messed him up. He leaned before Naruto with cold eyes. "Pardon me for not believing your words, then."

"Sasuke, I'm not playing you."

"Yes, you are. One moment you have no problem with us kissing, the next you go telling me how I don't know you and that you want to stop…then when I give you your wish and disappear from your side, you come to me with this new bullshit on how you miss me. So, yes, you're playing me."

The blond took a deep breath then slumped back on the bed, spreading his arms to relax his muscles as his brain took a minute to register Sasuke's words.

"It…I guess it can be seen that way. But you have to know it wasn't my intention to have it happen. And as I said to you that other night, I stopped with the kissing because I've been told it wasn't normal, and I'm tired of living an abnormal life. I just want to continue the rest of my life in peace, and live it normally, the best I can; don't you feel that way, too?"

"What I feel is irrelevant here. I had respected your wishes and gave you that _normal_ life back. Why are you risking it by coming here now?"

"I don't think I am. You see, that normal life missed something when you weren't there…and I…"

"What? Thought that you could persuade me into coming back by telling me shit about missing me just to complete your normal life?"

"No…I didn't think like that. I just wanted to see you again. Is it that so wrong?"

Sasuke heaved a sigh, then responded to the words that were hurting at his ears. "Naruto, there's something I need to ask you here. When we kissed, did you feel the kisses to be abnormal?"

Naruto had to tilt his head so he could be able to see that darkness as it spoke to his blue oceans, a frown resident on his face then. "I can't say, because I've never given it all that much thought really since it was something I just fell into stride with…"

"Then you're the kind of person to do things on a whim? Or simply because you couldn't resist the flow?"

"Half and half. I won't do things just to follow the flow, and I won't do things I dislike."

Sasuke stood upright and crossed his arms. "Then, these words you're telling me are pointing to one direction, you didn't hate the kisses, nor did you feel them to be something alien to you. Hence, I can deduce that you had no problem with them, which can be said as them considered, to a degree, normality to you. And by this, the reasons you've given are all invalid."

"Why the hell are you making it sound like we're in a courtroom?"

"Because you need to be judged for the words you've said."

Naruto rolled his eyes and flopped back on his buttocks. "Hmph, if there was a person who needed to be judged, it would be you. Where do you go off leaving just like that and now saying it was because I said so, I never wanted you to leave, and if I remember correctly, it was you who said you will leave even before I say anything about the kisses!"

"You didn't show any objection to my words back then."

"It's because there was no way into avoiding it! I told you that."

"Yes, but your attitude was welcoming to my departure. You didn't feel like you will be affected by it,"

Naruto stood up from the bed and walked to stand face to face with the latter, "Excuse me if I didn't cry my eyeballs out for you! You were coming back in a matter of a month or so! There was no need for me to get emotional about it!"

"Your reaction that night is affecting my view of your words today. How do you expect me to believe you've felt lonely and were missing me after you'd simply okay-ed like that?"

"Sasuke," Naruto shook his head and released a sigh, having finally given up on trying to get his point across. "You're deaf. Seriously deaf. You don't want to hear the words I'm saying. You want to vent. And I confess**;** I deserve the treatment you're giving me now. I hurt you, and I can't remember you 'til now, even when I squeeze through my head, that timeline at which your memory should be present at, it's not. I blame myself only. You've every single right to be pissed. So…here's what I'm going to do, I'll be standing here, beside you, near you, and will allow you to do whatever you want with me…of course, without touching my ass though, and let you vent that frustration inside you away. But after it's done, I never want to hear about it again. You're going to forgive me for it, and we will never bring that night up again!"

The black eyed male scowled at the offer and snorted. "What makes you think I even hold you to a damn value to get pissed about some pathetic words you've said?"

A genuine grin was given to answer him, and with a cheerful tone, Naruto spoke. "Putting aside the pissed off aura you're radiating, I have a strong hunch and I can see it in your eyes. You're pissed as fuck!"

"Sorry to disappoint you but I'm not. And you're going to leave from here right now."

"No, I'm not. At the beginning, I wanted to, because I wanted you to want me here, and I wasn't about to stay if you refused to allow me to, but now that I'm here and seeing how tired you look, hell breaks loose before I set foot outside of this house leaving you behind!"

Sharp eyes with a hidden glare faced him, but Naruto maintained his initial grin, refusing to budge. "It's not your decision to make. You're going to leave, whether you like it or not. And I advise you to leave before I use force and hurt you."

"Will you stop with those empty threats already? You will not hurt me, and I won't leave from here…so, drop it."

Sasuke waited for a while, then with a hard glare pulled out his cell and spoke into it. "Omi, come to my room right now, I have an intru-"

Naruto grinned at Sasuke as his tanned hand smacked the fancy cell off of Sasuke's hand into the soft cushions, ending the call Sasuke was making to probably one of the guards guarding the big house to come and kick him out. "I told you I'm not leaving. Stop trying to make me leave, Sasuke."

"And I said you're going back to the dorm, Dobe!"

"Then make me."

The azure orbs facing him shone with excitement and a sense of thrill that sent shivers down the Uchiha's back, but being the man he was, he'd rather die than to allow the idiot to succumb him to his dumb wishes.

"You don't want me to make you."

"Yes, I do." Naruto grabbed Sasuke's tie and yanked softly, bringing his face closer, he whispered. "Make. Me."

The last thing Naruto was able to see before being tackled on the soft mattress, were the fine lights above the bed warning him of the lion he'd allowed loose of its cage. Biting his gum, Naruto licked his lips at the sudden buzz that lit his eyes.

Hungry lips began munching on his own, and Naruto had to steady himself not to be bitten alive by the aggressive male. His right hand held onto Sasuke's midsection while his left swam inside the soft darkness that his tips have missed very much. His mouth released a groan when one of his teeth collided with Sasuke, causing him to accidentally bite the inside of his gum and draw blood. But even when Sasuke tasted the haemoglobin consisting red liquid, he refused to let go of the blond. And Naruto allowed him to vent all of his frustration and the ache that had been eating at him away since that day.

Inside his heart, he was feeling a portion of the pain, but it was mostly guilt. As much as Sasuke was in pain because he'd forgotten about him, he was feeling an equal amount of guilt for forgetting about him. He winced at the blood inside his mouth that was connecting him to Sasuke now, and gave a momentarily frown when it was splashed onto both their faces and clothes.

Naruto smiled when Sasuke had stopped his motion in the midst of his vent to spare him a glance.

"I'm fine…continue." Sasuke ignored those words and looked at the mess under him; he bit the inside of his own mouth to draw blood but was stopped by a disapproving Naruto. "There's no need for that, I'm alright. You didn't hurt me. I'm not that weak to be aching over a tiny cut like this one."

Sasuke released a sigh and took himself off of Naruto; he sat on the edge of the bed with both of his hands lying lazily on his sides. "Naruto…I can't do this. I can't control myself when I'm around you. And I'll hurt you, you have to stay away."

Tanned arms circled him from behind, and Naruto brought his face to lie lazily on Sasuke's back, enjoying the warmness that was there fleetingly. "You can't do that. I was really lonely when you'd left, Sasuke. I was counting the days and the nights for the time you'll be back, and it was so damn long. I can't deny that I had support from my friends, but it still didn't change the fact that I was coming back to an empty room."

"…Still, that's not an enough reason for you to remain here. If you dislike being alone, you can ask Neji for a change, or I'll tell him to bring another person to replace me since I won't be able to go there for a while to come."

Naruto sighed on the warm back and shook his head. "Why are you making this hard on me? I'm telling you that I don't want another person beside you. No room change, no new roommate, nothing. I want to be in the same place you're in. you're my roommate, no one else is."

"The same place I'm in isn't safe. I can't guarantee to you that you'll be kept unharmed."

"You don't have to. I can defend myself."

Sasuke's pale hands came over Naruto's and untangled them from his midsection so he could stand up. He turned with passive eyes and gave Naruto a small smile that assured him that they were good for now, but soon that smile gave birth to a disapproving look, and the blond knew he needed to fight that look down if he wished to stay.

"What you don't understand is the situation I'm in. and so, I'll explain it to you so you can leave."

"I don't care about any sit-"

Naruto was hushed with a tall, pale finger touching his lips, then Sasuke continued. "No. you'll have to care since this is a life and death situation. I don't know if you've heard about this or not, but the company I'm running ain't really welcoming me with open arms. The board wants nothing more than to remove me and appoint another one by election. But, so far, I was able to excel every challenge they put my way, and thus, they're unable to take me down by voting. So, they have resulted to their plan B, to eliminate me. Sadly, I still don't have enough evidence to be able to get rid of these flies, but I'm close to it. Yet, until I can attain a complete hold of it, I'm not safe nor the people around me are. Do you understand now?"

"The only thing I understand is that I can never leave you alone now that I know."

Sasuke rolled his eyes and delivered a punch to Naruto's face, at which he tried to dodge but was hit partially. "Listen here doofus, if you hang around me, you'll die! Die! There's no playing here, those people are serious. You want to have a normal life, if you stay here, you will never be able to manage any type of life!"

Naruto clutched his aching cheek and started rubbing the quickly-forming bruise to subside. He pouted at Sasuke and said under a hiss. "Firstly, there was no need for that! Secondly, I'm serious, too! Where do you go off thinking it's alright to put yourself in danger to protect me?! Uchiha I'm not some fragile maiden that needs rescue! I can pull my own weight, and yours also for all that matter! I said I'm staying and I'm staying! Tough luck trying to drag me from here!"

As to make his point across, Naruto held tightly to the bed headboard and ignored the whine that initiated from his injured cheek. Sasuke just rolled his eyes at the childish behaviour and threw his hands up in the air, surrendering.

"Fine, I give up. Do as you like. It's your life not mine. Just don't expect me to come to your aid if you have a gun pointed to your skull and the face of death is smiling upon you, 'cause I won't."

A sudden image had passed through his eyes at those words, and briefly, the blond sweat-dropped.

Sasuke smirked at the view. "Going back on your original words?"

The blond vigorously shook his head and stuck his tongue out. "Never, Teme!"

"Good. Then come over here so I can treat that messed up face of yours. I don't want you spilling blood all over my sheets."

"…You won't have some guard hit me when I'm not looking to get me out, won't you?"

"Stop being this suspicious already. I said you have the freedom to do whatever you want, and that's it. If you wish to stay, you can do so. Just don't mingle with anyone in here. You have to keep to yourself…and me."

"Understood!"

"Then come."

Obediently, like a happy puppy being offered his favourite snack, Naruto followed that pale hand that was extended for him to take, and suddenly, that weight he was dragging all of these past weeks had simply evaporated from his heart, and for the first time in a long time, he was able to take a genuine, clear breath.

"By the way, why are you in my room?"

"Oh," Naruto rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, "I got the rooms wrong."

Sasuke just rolled his eyes and sighed on his way to the bathroom. "Figures."

* * *

**Further details about the story will be revealed in chapter six! XD…thanks for reading so far! And again, sorry for the delay. I'll be looking forward to your reviews, everyone. Ta Ta~ **


	6. Chapter Six

**Author's Notes:**

**Okay, I'd like to start with an apology, then I'm going to clarify the reason for the extremely late update. You see, I had exams, and my Beta also had –and still having – exams. :/ So, it was hard to write and study. But all of that had finished! I've finished with them :D! Yay! And from this day on, the updates will be regular, and no, this time it's not a lie! So, as usual, thank you xXDreaming of RealityXx, for your edits on this chapter, and I'll be leaving you to enjoy the story. Oh, don't forget to review, too! :D**

* * *

"Gaara, Kakashi, who else?"

"Just them. I don't think there was anyone else."

Sasuke released a snort and fixed the tomatoes he loved so much on the sandwich. "This whole thing reeks of Neji. I'm sure he was the one to plan this stupidity out."

Naruto tapped on the vast table that could be humbly called a kitchen table and tilted his head to the other side. "Hmm…but I didn't see him, nor did they mention him. What makes you think that?"

"Simple," Sasuke turned with two dishes to the other, he put one before Naruto and the other beside himself as his legs made a swift dash to the fridge for the juice, which was poured into two glasses respectively and then he sat into his seat. "Gaara has no business with me and he won't give a shit about anyone unless he is told to. Kakashi will not know such information about who is my present roommate – since I had made it perfectly clear that any intrusion into my private life wasn't welcomed, so, Neji must be the one who's told him. He is the missing link between all of them."

"Itadakimasu." Naruto took a bite from the huge sandwich his roommate had made them as breakfast and continued with the conversation. "But why would Neji-senpai want to have me with you?"

"I'd assume that you've gotten too annoying for them to handle." Sasuke smirked and ducked away from the punch that was coming his way.

"Ass!"

"Hn."

"By the way, Sasuke, this sandwich is really good! What's in it?"

The raven's smirk subsided into a tiny smile. "My magic. Glad you liked it."

"Come on! What did you put in it?"

"A good chef never reveals his secrets."

"Say I wanted to make myself a sandwich like it one of these days, how will I do that if I don't know how you've made it?"

"Then I'd advise you to never leave my side, and such a problem will never arise itself to your face since I'll be making it for you every time you want it."

Naruto mirrored the tiny smile he was given into one big grin of his own, "I won't mind that very much."

"I think you've started to mix adverbs together. Finish eating so I can take you to college. You don't want to be late now, do you?"

"Hmm…yeah, about that, I'm not really going today."

Sasuke quirked a brow at the words and rested his face on his open palms with his sandwich half bitten on the plate. "Oh, and why is that?"

"I just don't feel like going. I only have one lecture, there's no need to go. My attendance won't suffer if I only missed one tiny lecture."

"Yes. I would actually have no reason to mind if you were sick or something, but you're not, so there's no need to start on cutting class, and why would you want to cut a class, anyway? It's not like there's anything special today to do."

"Do I need a reason to cut a class?"

"No, but I want to hear one."

"Well, you don't have anything to do today, right?" Sasuke nodded, taking another bite form his sandwich. "Then that's my reason. I want to spend the day with you."

"You do realize that I'd still be here when you get back, right?"

"Yeah…but…we haven't seen each other for a long time, and a part of me refuses to leave."

"Afraid of that empty room?"

"I might be."

Naruto allowed his fingers to stretch and take hold of Sasuke's long ones that were laying a few inches away from his; he smiled when Sasuke allowed the intrusion, and the pale fingers entwined with his in a playful manner.

"Are you trying to seduce me, Uzumaki?"

The blond looked up from the fingers at the husky tone he heard, and blinked with innocent set of eyes. "Not my intention."

"But yesterday you were wholeheartedly offering yourself to me."

"Nope, I said you could do anything to me, except fucking me. So technically, I wasn't offering myself…wholly."

"Sounded wholly enough to me, and besides, had I wanted it, I would have taken you, it wasn't really your decision. I was the one who didn't wish for it yesterday."

Naruto rolled his eyes, using his other free hand to bite at his sandwich. "Sure. If you say so, babe."

Sasuke allowed them a minute to remain in silence, then an idea formed inside his head and he didn't fail to speak it out loud.

"Naruto, how about this, since you're ditching today, want me to take you around town? You still haven't seen the best in Konoha yet, and I can show you."

"Umm…aren't you forbidden from going out and such?"

"I can leave if I wanted to, but I'll be accompanied by guards."

"Then no, there's no need for you to endanger your life simply for me to have fun. We can stay today inside."

"Glad to see you putting my life to a value, but you have nothing to worry about. It's not so easy to have me killed; they'll need something stronger than mere guns to have that wish granted."

Naruto rolled his eyes at the egotistical bastard beside him and pronounced in a dull tone. "Yeah…it's still a no. We will stay in today. There's nothing wrong with that. Besides, it's been a while since we just sat together and talked."

Sasuke smirked and pulled the hand entwined with his close to his mouth to give it a small kiss and a playful nip. "If we're here together, then talking won't be the only thing we'd be doing."

The blond ignored the sudden thump his heart had made and snatched his hand away from those hunting orbs, to hide from the wild-fire spreading desire within their depths.

"K-Keep on dreaming, Ass!"

"Give me a few months, and it won't be justa dream."

"Anyway," Naruto started; trying to have them move away from the one-way street Sasuke was driving this conversation into. "What do you usually do in your free time?"

Having been robbed the pleasure of manipulating Naruto some more, Sasuke relaxed back on the chair and decided to dig into his sandwich for a change. "I don't usually have a free time."

"Yes, you do. Today for example."

"Today wasn't a free day, the work I was supposed to do was put on hold, that's why I've been relaxing here, but it's not an everyday event."

"Then let's say you had a day, a one in a million day, and it was free, what would you do?"

Sasuke looked hard into the other's eyes and a hidden gush of emotions started swirling within him; he gave Naruto a hidden smile and broke their connected rose up, to take his dirty plate to the sink.

"Something that's very dear to me."

Naruto furred his brows together and stand up, following the steps of the mysterious raven. He put his hand on the hard cabinet under him and questioned further. "Which is?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

"Come on, Sasuke. Enough with the games. Tell me, what could this dear thing be?"

Sasuke smirked at the blond beside him; he rinsed his hands from the ketchup on the plate and looked Naruto with challenging orbs. "How about this then, let's make a deal. I'll tell you if you promise you'll give this day to me."

A thick blond brow was raised corresponding to those words, Naruto scowled. "What do you mean 'give this day to you'?"

"I want to do whatever I want with you today, take you wherever, feed you whatever, even throw you in the ocean and you willhave no say in it, not the slightest tweet of objection."

"Hmph, why would you think I would say yes to something like that?"

"Then you weren't serious about knowing what I do in my spare time."

"No, I was and still am serious. But this trade of yours doesn't seem fair. Let's throw in another thing from your side, what do you say?"

"Like what?"

Naruto smiled and chirped. "I want you to give me a big clue about yourself. Something that can ignite my memories so I can remember you."

Sasuke snorted removing himself from the tight space Naruto had placed him into. "No can do, Dobe. If you want to remember me, you'll have to do it on your own, no help form is expected."

"Then no, we don't have a deal. I won't throw myself into a losing bet."

"Are you totally sure about this decision of yours?"

"Yes. Now, if you have nothing else to say, I think I'll be doing some stretches to run, my muscles are falling sleeping on me."

Naruto made a notion to walk out of the kitchen, but before he could reach the frame of the door, a pale hand held into his arm and stopped his motion. He tried with everything he'd to suppress that little jolt of happiness that run through his veins, threatening to force his limbs to do the victory dance, and for once, his tries had fruited into a much needed self-control. His blue orbs came face to face with Sasuke's unsatisfied ones and a reluctant raven pronounced between clenched teeth.

"Fine. You have yourself a deal. I'll tell you a clue about the past. And you have to give your day to me!"

Azure orbs closed as their owner nodded with obvious joy. "What I wanted exactly~"

"When we met, I was blind."

Naruto looked, waiting for something else, but when the rosy lips released no more, he frowned. "That's it?"

Sasuke grunted. "That is more than enough. And for some reason you don't appear the slightest bit rattled. Why is that?"

Golden locks flattered when Naruto moved back from the place he was standing on and proceeded to the huge kitchen table, avoiding any eye contact with his old friend. "No reason."

"No, there's a reason. If what I know about you is correct, then you will find my blindness to be a very characteristic feature. But you don't. You're acting as if…as if…"

Then, here is where Naruto dug out his own grave by linking his eyes with Sasuke, causing the black darkness to widen in astonishment. Naruto forced his lips to ask in a dreaded tone. "What?"

"You already know! Spill it, who told you?!"

"Er…no one. I didn't know..."

"Yes, you did! Was it Gaara? No wait, he wouldn't do that. It was Neji, wasn't it? This totally stinks like him!"

"No, it wasn't. Like I said, no one told me anything. I…I just remembered it…"

Sasuke rolled his eyes at the obvious lie and said as his legs made their way towards the fridge. "Dobe, stop lying. You suck at it. Had you remembered that I was blind, you'd have remembered everything about me, since that was the day we've met. So, enough with these pitiful lies, I know it was Neji who has told you. And I will show him!"

Seeing as how he was unable to lie his way out of this, Naruto sighed and came out clean. "Fine. I confess. It was him who told me. But please, don't blame him! It was I who wanted to know more about you, and you weren't going to talk or allow me to find out anything about you, and I was getting…anxious."

Sasuke brought out some oranges and washed them then started on pealing them. "Anxious? Why would you be anxious?"

Naruto stuck out his tongue and said. "I won't tell you that, because you're going to act like your jerk-assed-self and laugh."

"Well, if it's something to laugh about, I will. But if it isn't, then there's no need for me to laugh, is there?"

"I don't think of it as a laughing matter, but I can't say the same thing about you."

"Then, it's obvious what you need to do."

"What?"

The raven released a small smile to the other. "Trust me."

"…Let's say I did, but then you laughed, what would I do then?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes for the second time that day andput the chopped up oranges in the blender with some water, fresh strawberries, a bit of sugar and a soul of vanilla for flavour, he blended the mixture up. "Naruto, that's not the sense of trust I wanted you to give me, but this is for another day to discuss. Right now, you have the choice to tell me or not, and since I'm not a patient person, I would advise you to tell me before I go and force the words out of that pretty mouth of yours. And believe me: if I did that, you wouldn't get off with just some bruises."

At the heated stare, Naruto felt his heart give off a different beat-rhythm than the one he was used to. It was different, but not foreign, and he found his lips saying without his consent. "I was anxious of getting attached...to you."

"Do clarify, please."

"Umm…I don't know how much you know about me. But this is something I haven't allowed anyone to know, it's very important to me…I don't want to get attached to anyone. The reason why I left Sakura's house was to stand up on my own and to create a distance between the two of us. It's not that I hate her or anything…but Sakura, she has been involved with me for far too long, and I know something bad will happen to her, since it's not good to associate with me. You already know about the accident with my father, right?"

Sasuke gave a curt nod and held his hand up in dismissal, to silence Naruto until after the blender would finish, then poured the mixture into two glasses and brought them to the table. The blond smiled and when he was given the sign to proceed, he did so.

"I don't want people to get close to me and end up with a pitiful fate because of that. So, when I found myself feeling worried when you continued being absent, I got anxious. And knew I was starting to get attached to you. At that time, Neji-senpai and Gaara offered their helped, and he gave me this information about you. But you don't have to worry, he's only told me about the deal with your eyes…nothing more."

Pale, long fingers came to play with the golden locks dangling before his azure orbs; they flipped beside a particular lock, giving it their utmost attention then Sasuke's mouth released when Naruto had finished with his words.

"You're a big Dobe. I'll only explain one thing because I know you'll keep on living life thinking of it the wrong way, and let you conclude the rest, though 'm not so confident with the Ape inelegance you have here, but think of it as a brain-exercise. The thing is, it wasn't your fault, you don't jinx people, you're not God, you don't control life, and have no say in destiny or anything alike. You're human, can only do so much in your life, you can't influence people only in a bad way. So, for the sake of everyone that knows you, stop blaming yourself over things you couldn't have helped in any way possible."

Naruto bit his lips, looking down with the drink staying on the table, waiting for a mouth to take it in. "No, it was my fault. You don't understand. It's really not safe to be around me! Not just dad, did you know that four nurses have been in accidents merely because they were close to me? Explain to me now how that's considered as a coincidence!"

Sasuke sighed and put both of his hands on either side of Naruto's cheeks, drawing him closer, then speaking in a flat tone. "Idiot. Listen to the words I'm saying. You have no control over stuff like that. And if you're talking about someone dangerous to be around, then that would definitely be me. My life is full of danger. I can't even sleep without keeping an eye open; I have to always maintain a calm exterior whatever happens. I can only achieve my freedom to a degree. I'm surrounded by people who want nothing more than to see me dead. So, yeah, if there's a person you should think about staying away from, it should beme. And not because you're going to bring me trouble, it's because I'll be the one to bring you trouble. Understand me, Dobe?"

The blond felt his line of vision be clouded with the hovering of Sasuke's face. He nodded slowly and put his hands over Sasuke's trying to lower them down. "I do…but you should know that I'll add to your troubles."

"An addition that's most welcomed."

"You know, you shouldn't be so nonchalant about this. You might get really hurt."

Sasuke smirked and removed his hands from Naruto's just to lean forward to lessen the space between them.

"Well then, Uzumaki, for you, I'm welcoming the life of a masochist."

Naruto was only able to release a sudden 'eep' before he was swift off of his feet and into the seven heavens by the affectionate kiss of the other male holding his lips hostage.

* * *

"Then? What the hell are we going to do now?" An annoyed sounding Naruto pronounced stubbornly.

"Wait for help."

"That ain't an option."

"Yes, it is. You're welcome to try and open the door if you want to, but let me warn you first, it was made so that the strongest of all can't budge it an inch, if you – with that bony structure of yours – were able to remove it, then I'll lower my invisible hat for you."

The scowl on the blond's face widened further and then it turned into a cute pout. "This is so not fair! We're just going to be trapped here for God knows when 'til someone comes and opens this fucking door?!"

"Not someone, the person with the keys, Kakashi. Just calm down, Dobe. He'll be here in two to three hours. Just find yourself something to do to spend the time."

Naruto sat beside Sasuke and unbuttoned one of the buttons on his shirt. "Three hours? That's pretty long…can't he come sooner?"

"I called him, he said either we wait, or call the police. The latter is out of the question of course. Besides, waiting never killed anybody."

Naruto sweat-dropped, recalling a familiar condition that he still wasn't able to shake off. "…I'm not so sure about that."

When the male beside him started panting slowly, with his face flushed and sweating even when the room they were in had a well-functioning AC, Sasuke's brows met together in a definite scowl. He came close to Naruto to see if there was something wrong, but to only be pushed to an arm's length away.

"Na-"

"I'm fine. It's just…I don't deal well with locked spaces. Give me a minute and I'll be fine."

His linked brows matched the scowl that quickly resident itself on his lovely features, and Sasuke asked. "You're claustrophobic?"

"Umm…yeah, a bit." Naruto sat with his face facing up, trying to absorb as much of the oxygen as possible to relieve his fear. "It's not usually bad. But at times, breathing becomes a bit difficult."

"Will you last three hours?"

Blue orbs winked and Naruto answered him with a smile. Sasuke closed his eyes and sighed, flashing his phone on; then spoke in an authoritative, sharp tone that left no room for arguing.

"I'll only give you ten minutes to get your ass here. After, I'll call whoever can get us out of here, and I won't care who. You know I don't bluff here, Kakashi, so you better come!" Then he closed the phone with that.

The blond took a deep gulp of air and said in a strained voice. "You shouldn't have done that, I'm sure whatever is keeping Kakashi-san busy is very important, he doesn't look like the type to allow you to get hurt if it wasn't important."

"Important or not. You take top priority. What should I do to help you?"

Naruto smiled, struggling to control his nerves not to remember the events that had traumatized him when he was young. "Nothing. You have already done what you can. Just…could you hold my hand a bit?"

Sasuke took Naruto's right hand into his left and pulled the blond closer to him, making sure that he wasn't putting any pressure on Naruto's airways to allow him to get the air he needed.

"Comfortable?"

"I'll be."

The raven just continued sitting still, with Naruto's head on his shoulder, waiting in silence as the other struggled to catch his breath with the demons he was so afraid of, hunting him. Sasuke eased his back and planted soft kisses on his temple to distract him from the fact that they'd been trapped for over half an hour in this office. As his efforts began showing some effect on Naruto, Sasuke remembered the initial reason why they were where they are right now. It had all started with a phone call he'd gotten from an employee in the company.

And to his bad luck, he needed to get some papers back to the company for a deal that needed to be conducted that particular day. The papers were saved into his private office, a room that he's kept secured twenty for seven. The idiotic thing that Sasuke had done was to dismiss his guards and allow a stupid, noisy Naruto in with him. The idiot touched a button that he shouldn't have, and the door had automatically closed in on them, with the only mean to open it once more from the outside.

Sasuke cursed himself a second time for dismissing those guards and for building a soundproof room to be his office. Now, when they die, no one is going to hear about it. He bit his lower lip when Naruto started coughing.

"Naruto, I'm going to call the police. That's our safest bet right now."

The blond shook his head; he knew how important this safe house was to Sasuke, and how stupid it would be to expose the location to the enemies wanting to illuminate his roommate. He would never allow Sasuke to put his own self in danger in favour of saving him.

"N-No…let's wait…I'm sure Kakashi-san will be here soon, just wait a few more minutes."

"Stupid, look at your condition, you're getting worse by the minute, there's no way I'll allow you to remain in here and die out on me!"

"Die? Who mentioned anything about dying?" Naruto giggled to himself, "The worst thing that may happen to me is to pass out…nothing asserious as death."

The raven snorted and supported Naruto as he – now too tired of the cough that was draining his energy away– had decided to rest on Sasuke's thighs rather than his shoulder. "You can't fool me. I'm going to call them. I'll take that over you getting hurt any day."

Naruto stretched his hands and took the phone out of Sasuke's grip, hiding it underneath him. "…Sasuke, I'm happy that you're this worried about me…but, don't…" Taking another deep breath, Naruto continued. "Be stupid. I've passed through far worse cases than this one…In fact, this is nothing in comparison."

"Hearing you say that doesn't actually bring any happiness to my heart."

Coy, shining orbs faced him. "Good. I didn't ask it to."

Before Sasuke could try to say anything or struggle with the exhausted blond to get his cell back, the door to the strictly closed off office had been opened, revealing a passive looking Kakashi with his silver hair sticking out at weird angles.

"Good to see you're still alive, you lovebirds. Now, get your asses out."

Sasuke only glared as he helped Naruto softly to his stumbling legs and out of the room with a soft whisper to his bodyguard.

"Shut it."

* * *

Naruto opened his beautiful eyes and blinked as the dark room he was in blinded him. He propped himself on his two elbows and checked out the foreign room to him. It wasn't Sasuke's or a room that he was familiar with. As he tried to sit down, he found something heavy squeeze at his left side. Looking down, his lips stretched into a small smile at the sleeping face of Sasuke, he felt his eyes soften at the obvious exhaustion the other was experiencing and absentmindedly, his fingers went to pet Sasuke's head.

"Good boy."

The last thing he remembered when he was out of the room was how his heart had suddenly tightened on him and he fainted. He didn't know if it was due to the fact that he was cooped in a closed room with no ventilation when he was a claustrophobic patient, or because his psyche had registered that they've left the deathly room and the information was too great for it to be absorbed alone so due to the overload, his body had fainted. The reason to him was idiopathic, unknown and was left for wonder.

A moaning sound escaped Sasuke's lips and a name that resembled his echoed from his lips. Naruto's smile turned to a full grin as he shook the sleeping male to wake up.

"Sasuke, wake up. You can't sleep like that. Come up here."

Fluttering, long lashes opened and Sasuke looked with hazy orbs to the blond for five complete minutes then when his mind registered what had happened, he jumped towards Naruto in a flash with a panicked look on his face. And before he was showered with a rain of questions, Naruto removed the blanket from the bed he was lying on and offered the other a place to enter.

"I'm fine. There's nothing that you need to worry about. So, get in here before you freeze to death in that chair."

"Can you breathe normally now?"

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Sasuke, I told you I'm a bit claustrophobic, a bit. Not a full-pledged claustrophobe. I get affected at times, and I'm good now. I can breathe right with no complications, so relax and hop in."

The blond felt his mouth stretch into a wider grin at the relieved expression inside Sasuke's eyes. He moved away a little allowing Sasuke some room to get in too, then pulled the heavy blanket over them. As soon as the raven was in the same bed with him, Naruto felt those familiar arms circulate around him, he released a joyful laugh.

"Sasuke, I didn't know that you're this much into hugging."

"I'm not."

"Eh? Could have fooled me. The first thing you always do when we get to bed is hug me."

"I'm doing it to make sure."

"Make sure of what exactly?"

"Of the fact that you're here," Sasuke sneaked a hand under Naruto's head to have the distance between them lessen. "With me. That you're not just a fragment of my imagination and I'd wake up the next minute alone in my big bed."

Naruto smiled genuinely and stretched his hand to pinch Sasuke softly on the cheek. "How about now? Do you still think of me as a dream?"

"No, I don't."

"Good, 'cause I'm not. Now, let's sleep. You look really tired."

Sasuke's right hand hung loosely over Naruto's midsection as he lay facing the other face to face. "I regret this day. You'd given it to me, but I wasn't able to make anything out of it."

At the disappointed tone, Naruto asked. "Is it really that important? To get a day from me?"

"Yes, it is. I want a day to show you the world, to introduce you to another dimension that you haven't been introduced to yet."

"Sasuke…you know what? I don't really need any of that. If you could only introduce me to your own world, I'd be more than happy."

"…My world isn't interesting enough. It's very boring."

"I'm fine with boring."

"It's also very tragic."

"Do you not remember my own past? I have had my share of tragedy. So, I'll understand."

"No, you won't. I had a different sense of tragedy happen to me than yours; it's filled with envy, hatred and jealousy."

Naruto rolled their position so he could be seated looking down at the exhausted raven instead of lying beside him. He smiled when his tanned hand was grabbed into Sasuke's cold ones and for a minute, he allowed his brain to shut down and for his heart to manifest that foreign thump it was doing lately.

"Whatever it is, I can handle it. You can't seem to understand how much knowing about you means to me. I want to support you, but I can't do that if I'm kept in the dark about major information like the ones in your own past."

"Does it matter? I'm who I am today, and that's all you need to know."

"Yes, it does matter. I want to know the past that had made you, so I can learn to understand you better."

"Why do you need to understand me more? What you understand about me is plenty enough, the rest is unnecessary."

"…You still can't understand me. But I'm going to leave it at that. Until the day in which you can trust me wholeheartedly comes, I'll prove to you how truthful the words I'm saying are, and how much you really mean to me."

Sasuke brought Naruto's hand close to his lips and whispered hot air into them. "Words can be a very strong weapon, beware from releasing promises that may be hard for you to fulfil."

"I never make promises that I can't keep." Suddenly, Naruto started getting off of the bed and removing his hand away from Sasuke's. "Wait here! There's something you need to see."

The raven set his sights on the mattress as his ears picked up on the motion that was done by a moving Naruto, he registered the steps leaving their huge, joint room, then going to the hallway and that's when they disappeared. Ten minutes later, he raised his head up as Naruto re-emerged into the room, locking the door softly behind him then pouncing on the bed, with his hands holding something that shone brightly when the dim light was fixed on it.

Sasuke blinked at the shining metal piece inside Naruto's hands.

"What's this?"

"My treasure."

A fine brow was quirked at this. "Aren't you a little too old for treasures?"

"Well, it's not that kind of treasures. This was the gift my father had given me the day of my birthday," Naruto smiled at the fond memory, trying to ignore the pain that had come to his heart with it. "A fireman had found it, after the car had been burnt out, this one remained. They said it's a miracle that the colours were still present in it and that the hot fire hadn't melted the iron."

"Oh."

The blond grinned at the small sad look that crossed over Sasuke's features, and said. "I'm fine."

"I didn't say anything."

"You didn't have to…anyways, to why I'm showing you this, here," His somewhat rough hands took hold of Sasuke's right hand palm and put the orangish-with-darkening-tinge, spiral-shaped, metal necklace into them. "It's yours now."

Sasuke brought the necklace close to his face and inspected it; then he shook his head and extended his hand back to Naruto. "I can't take this. It's yours. Your father had intended to give it to you, I jus-"

"Sasuke, I'm giving it to you. It's my choice. This necklace had helped me through some pretty dark hours, and now it's your time. I want you to believe in me, but that's something I can't just ask, so…instead of me, this necklace will be the one to protect and watch over you. Consider it me in metal~"

"…But still, are you sure about this? It's your treasure. Can you just throw it away like that?"

"This is where you're wrong. I'm not throwing it away since I know you'll take a very good care of it. And I won't regret this decision. Ever. So, make sure you don't lose it, because then, Uchiha, I will definitely kill you."

Naruto smiled as he was yanked closely into a soft kiss that left his lips tingling. Sasuke relaxed them back under the comfortable blanket after putting the little treasure Naruto had given him in a safe box beside his bed.

"I'll treat it as if it was you. Now, let's go to sleep, tomorrow I have to get up early for work."

"You're going tomorrow?"

"Hmmm…did you think I have all the days as holiday?"

"No, but I thought we could stay for a little while longer together. Guess that can't happen now."

"Well, you could always come search for that part time job you'd wanted, in my company. Or you still going on with that mindset about doing something that no one else but you can?"

Naruto nodded, putting a pillow between his legs to better his circulation and sleeping posture. Sasuke ignored the little healthy act his friend had just made, and returned into gazing at the blue seas that were always driving him by their wildness.

"Sasuke, I'd rather not talk about this subject right now, 'cause in the end, you'll come out mad, and I will too, since we never seem to see eye to eye when it comes to work. So, let's just close it for the night and sleep."

The raven nodded briefly and clicked the dim lights off, making sure to kiss Naruto on the forehead as his arms circled the blond protectively inside them. Naruto decided to allow his lips a final grin and then they softly fell back into passiveness; providing his facial muscles a chance to rest.

"Good night, Sasuke."

"Night."

* * *

Naruto smiled as his lips licked at the spoon in his mouth and the sweetness of the cake he was eating melted up his insides in syrupy pleasure. His days so far have been filled with nothing but happiness. He'd never known how much fun it was to be beside Sasuke 'til he'd lost him. And now, that everything between them was back to normal, he couldn't contain himself at the thought of going back home to be able to meet with the dark haired male once more. True, they tend to disagree concerning lots of stuff, but even though most of their time they'd be fighting or just sitting in silence with each paying his attention to his own business, Naruto felt those times to be very precious to him, something that he wanted to hold dear and close to his heart. His mouth switched to a silly grin as the spoon in his hands was dug inside his cheesecake for another taste.

"Hey, Naruto, I see you've changed from that miserable status you've been in."

The sound of his newly formed friend pulled Naruto out of his own happy-trance, he directed hazy eyes at Kiba who rolled his own small ones and made himself comfortable beside the blond on the cafeteria's outer table.

"Miserable? Have I been miserable?"

"Hm? You weren't aware of it?" Naruto shook his golden locks and Kiba continued. "Basically, you looked as if you've lost your soul to the devil or something. So? Was it your girl? Have you made up with her?"

Naruto blinked at the words and stopped the spoon that was going into his mouth for him to be able to question. "Girl? What are you talking about?"

"You have been miserable because you had a fight with your girlfriend, right? And now, as you're looking as dumb as they get when in love, you have made up with her, am I correct or am I correct?" Kiba finished with a wide smirk of his own.

Suddenly, sweet, harmonious laughter rang out of Naruto's rosy lips, leaving the burnet to look with baffled orbs at him, amazed for an instant at the fact that there were people in this world that could actually laugh a stupid laugh as the one he was hearing, and then he asked after his amazement had died down.

"What the hell are you laughing about?"

Naruto controlled his stomach and wiped the stray tear away from his eye. "It's just that…that, I don't have a girlfriend. And I didn't get in a fight with anyone."

The news seemed to bother Kiba more than it should have, and he asked. "Then why were you on the rail of suicide if it wasn't heart troubles?"

"Oh…well, for a start, I don't like to think I was on the verge of anything. I was just having some problem with a friend of mine, then we worked everything out…that's it. No girl or heart troubles as you've put it."

"This friend of yours, is it a chick or a dude?"

"A dude. Why?"

"AGGGHHH!"

Before Naruto could blink an eyelid, Shino popped out from the space close to the bench he was sitting on, and had a victorious beam on his lips, which shone ever brighter with his dark sunglasses, the sunglasses that he apparently thought were a necessity to wear even within the halls. A fact Naruto had found very interesting but had decided to question about later on in life.

"Pay up, bro."

Kiba scowled and pulled out some money from his wallet then handed it over to his best friend, royally unsatisfied with how things have turned out.

"I hope you spend it on something that kills you!"

Shino's beam only got happier. "The only thing that will be killed is your damn ego. Now, next time when you try to win me over a bet, think twice."

At those words, Naruto's brain started catching up to their actions. "Wait, wait, wait just a moment here. Were you two having a bet over me?"

"Yeah…but technically not over you, but over the reason why you have been looking like a zombie lately. Dumbass here said you were aching over a broken heart. I said friend's troubles, and Hinata said family troubles."

The blond frowned at his set of friends. "I understand why you two would do something like this, but Hinata-chan? I can't believe that you've pulled her into something like this. Shame on you two!"

Kiba rolled his eyes and shoved Naruto on the shoulder as he stood up. "Ass, you have no idea how devilish she is. She looks like a damn angel, but she isn't. Heck, this whole shit was her idea in the first place!"

Naruto's eyes went wide and he blinked the words into his own brain. "Naah, you're lying, there's no way she would."

"No, he isn't," Shino stepped in to back up his best pal, "We have been friends with her for a longer time than you think. It's true; I think it's in their genes or something. Her whole family is filled with nothing but wackjobs."

"Her whole family?"

"Yep. And the worst is her cousin…wait! You said you live in Konoha dorm, right?"

Absentmindedly Naruto nodded, not understanding why Kiba had suddenly started sweating. "Yeah…what of it?"

"There's no way then that you wouldn't have met up with or heard of his royal ass! He is worse than Hinata, a millions times worse! I can still shiver when I remember how he was in high school...a walking demon!"

"Umm…who are we talking about here exactly?"

Shino took the stand seeing as how Kiba had decided to enter into a self-loath cocoon when he remembered his high school days, seemingly, not happy ones.

"His name is Hyuuga Neji. You have to have heard of him. He has their branded pale eyes and a face like this," Naruto suppressed a laugh at the face Shino was making before him.

"Oooh? I myself would think I have a more handsome face than this, don't you think so too, Naruto-chin?"

The two males standing beside a sitting Naruto, sweat-dropped at the dark, Satanism tone that they knew the owner of perfectly well. Shino turned so slowly behind him as Kiba turned to a stone statue beside them.

"N-Neji-sama…w-welcome to our department."

"Welcome? I can hardly sense any welcome in here. But I definitely am fond of the tales you're telling my dear Naru-chin in here. May I participate?"

The bug-lover quickly shook his head. "Umm…sorry, we didn't mean it. We were just pulling his leg; you know how much we love to honour you. We'd have loved nothing more than to sit and chat with you on the lovely old times that we've spent together, but we have a lecture to catch, ain't that right, Kiba?" Shino poked his friend to unfreeze and help him out here a little; but all that he got was a faint drool as Kiba's soul left his body. "Y-Yeah…as you can see we need to hurry!"

Before Naruto could say any word or utter a goodbye to his two friends, Shino had grabbed Kiba by the wrist and ran with him to the other side of the globe, hoping that the devil marking them now would be swayed not to take his soul away like he's just taken Kiba's.

The blond could only smile sheepishly at his senior as the long haired raven rolled his eyes at the two disappearing males, then took a seat beside Naruto on the bench.

"You should probably know that whatever trash they were talking about me was probably the truth."

Naruto frowned. "Huh? Most people would deny any badass accusations being made to their names."

"Then those people are foolish. I know what I was and what I have done to them. In high school, I was quiet the troublemaker, hmmm…even worse than how I am right now. And well, our family wasn't really fond of their friendship with Hinata, the next one in line to inherit the whole deal, so my mission was to make their lives hell so they learn to stay away from her."

"Stay away? But they're still friends with her."

"Yep. Turned out that they weren't some phony people on her track just for money, but a one in a million genuine friends who wanted nothing more than her happiness. I had figured that out sadly after I had wrecked their lives, and they had begun to fear my presence."

"I think you can change that prospective still, Senpai."

Neji smirked, extending his pale hand to grab hold of Naruto's golden hair. "What makes you think I want to have anything to do with them? They are still inferior in my sight. She is free to play friends with them, but there's no need for me to do that. I'm very content with Gaara; I don't need anyone else beside him."

"I…I just thought that you may want to change your image in their eyes…that's all."

"Well," The long haired raven bounced back on his feet. "I don't. And this isn't the reason why I came here to get you."

"Oh, was there a reason why you came here?"

"Okay, so Sasuke had told me you were an airhead, but there's a limit to it. Why the fuck do you think I'd leave my deeply wanted day of rest to come hang out in this lousy college of yours?"

The blond looked past the insult and said in a normal tone. "To do a business you want. I'm not a mind reader as to know what you want from here." If his senior wanted a fight, he was bound to get it. No one walked all over him and came out untouched.

Neji's face turned into a wide grin as he grabbed hold of Naruto's hand and chirped happily.

"Feisty, too. Relax chump, I was toying with your nerves. And how fun that was. Now, really to why I'm here. I have a few things I want to clear out, and then you're going to tell me all about this stupid old business you have with Sasuke. I already know you have met up with the dick when you two were kids, and no he wasn't the one who's told me; I have my own ways into finding that shit out. So, let's go to a quieter place to talk, and Uzumaki, don't even think about getting out of this one. If you really want to help him and yourself out of this silly spiral you're living in, you're going to let me know. Since, for all you know, I might be the only person in this universe holding the keys to your locked mysterious."

Naruto could do nothing but nod and allow the storm to blur his happy days.

* * *

He blinked, and blinked again, then a third time just to make sure he was really in the right place. And when the rabbit straddling his lap refused to disappear as a fragment of his illusion, Naruto swallowed hard the uneasy feeling and looked with sweat-dropping orbs at the long haired raven who had turned to some_thing_ that could only be described as…utterly _sweet_.

Neji sat with a blissful expression on his face as he was handed another rabbit to gaze at and play with from the cheerful girl with bunny ears. For a minute, his image of when he was forced into a more sexy set of clothes resembling the one the workers in this rabbit-club seemed to wear flashed inside his brain, he quickly dismissed the disturbing image away.

"Err…Neji-senpai? You said you wanted to talk to me about something?"

The words seemed to pull Neji out of his little happiness and he snapped with a joyful expression looking at Naruto. "Oh, yes, yes. Just answer me some of these questions I'll be asking truthfully and then we'll move to your topic with Sasuke, since I'm really interested in it."

"…Okay. What do you want to know?"

"Are you in love with Gaara?"

The yellow eyebrows came to meet in a deep frown and Naruto answered with a baffled tone. "No…why ask something like that?"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"One hundred percent sure?"

"Yes. Why the hell would I be in love with a damn dude? We're just friends. The deepest emotion I would hold for him _ever_ is that of a dear friend, nothing more. Why would you think I'm in love with him in the first place? That's disgusting!"

Neji grinned, bearing his teeth. "If that's the case, then we have no problem. I was just making sure, so you don't need to stand on guard, I didn't detect any flying feelings or passing glances for that question. It's just a normal question I would ask anyone who is trying to get close to him."

"Well, this explains the reason why Gaara doesn't have friends. You drove them away with these stupid questions of yours."

"That was the plan. But since you're different from all of that trash, you'll continue to remain his friend."

"Just because you're weird, I don't have to cut ties him."

"My point exactly. Anyways, moving on, tell me, what's the deal between you and Sasuke?"

Naruto allowed the rabbit on his lap to hop out of it as one of the workers brought in their ice tea to them. He thanked the waiter and revolted to the curious male opposite of him. His frown remained in place.

"Look, I'm not trying to come off as someone who is aggressive or anything. But I like to keep to myself. And this topic is something that I would like to deal with on my own, so if you please, I would keep that information to myself."

Neji tucked a lock behind his ear and rolled his eyes. "Alright, it seems I'll have to make something clear for you here. You're Uzumaki Naruto; youwere staying in Kure Grand Hospital, due to paralysis in both legs. You have a tragic past that I think both of us are best not to mention, and finally, you're currently facing a big problem regarding your past. Did I miss out on anything? Oh yes! For a whole year, you've been living off your best friend, whom you consider like a close sister."

"You…you investigated me?!"

Startled blue orbs faced him and Neji continued being calm. "I had to know who was getting close to my boys and make certain you were of no danger to either of them."

Naruto stayed quiet to this. He understood where Neji was coming off, but still he had no right to go sniff his way through his past like that! There were some damn lines people shouldn't be crossing, and this one here had simply brought in an eraser and erased all of those lines as if they weren't even there! He bit the inside of his gum, trying to stop his mouth from blabbering nasty words that would only show how much disrespect he was harbouring for the male in front of him right now.

"Before you think of whether to hit me or smash my head into a fricking window, I'd like to advise you against it. Since I have a black belt and a whole knowledge about street fights techniques. So, defeating you with them won't be such a hard task to accomplish."

"…I don't get it. If you've everything figured out, why am I here? You already know about the events I want hidden and everything concerning my life so far. Why then ask to clarify things between me and Sasuke when you already know them?"

Neji shook his soft looks, helping the rabbit that came hopping on his right foot off. "No, no, no. what I have come to learn is basic knowledge; anyone with a good detective can get it. But what I lack is the knowledge inside your brain. I still have no idea how you've met up with Sasuke, and since there was no record of you ever making an obvious contact with him, this whole deal is a mystery to me. So, help clear this mystery for me and tell me, what exactly is your connection to Sasuke?"

Naruto looked at his hands and released in a whisper that had betrayed his sealed lips. "I don't know…"

"Huh? What do you mean you don't know? You don't know how to describe it or you don't know what to call it?"

"I don't know what it is. I have no idea where Sasuke knows me from. Yes, I have the feeling that we've met before. But I can't remember. Everything is a blur when it comes to him. I don't even have a single memory of him. And as much as it makes me a bad person, I can't say anything except the truth, and the truth is that my memory is completely void of his presence."

The raven put a hand under his chin and went into a deep-thinking phase for a minute.

"First, you not remembering doesn't make you a bad person, only a person with an extremely bad memory…or,"

Naruto blinked at the pause, he urged. "Or?"

"Or it's a sign for a crucial clue. It may mean that something huge must've happened at the timeline when you met with Sasuke to have you completely wipe him out of your memory."

"Something huge?" Naruto shook his head trying to remember something. "I don't remember anything tragic happening to me at the hospital."

"Of course you won't. Your brain has wiped out all of that timeline. So, if we needed to know the cause, I think a visit to your old hospital is in need."

"Even if we went there, I doubt we'll find anything, and no one will tell us anything about Sasuke."

"Well, who said we're going to ask about him?"

"Then who do you plan to ask about?"

"We're going to be asking about you. And since it's your own file, we won't face any objections, be it legal or ethical."

"But I don't think anything had happened, because then Nana would have mentioned something about it if it did. She won't hide something this big from me."

"Nana? Who is that?"

"My physician, she was responsible for my rehabilitation period. She is a very kind woman, always treated me like her own son."

Naruto blinked when Neji started standing up, putting a heavy tip on the table for the waiter and petting one of the lopped rabbits on the head, then heading to the front door of the cozy club.

"Well, dear Naru-chin, maybe this was the exact very reason why she didn't want to let you know, she feared for your feelings to get hurt. But now, since it's critical for us to know about your past, she'll have to tell us about you."

And for the second time that day, Naruto had nothing to reply with as he so softly got inside the black car next to Neji, who signalled his driver to start heading towards Kure Hospital in the neighbouring district.

* * *

By the time they'd reached their destination, the evening had already dominated the sky. Naruto picked up his cell, and had to hide the small smile that spread across his face from Neji when he saw the ID of who was calling him.

"Yes, Sasuke. I'm fine. No, I wasn't abducted…okay, relax, I know I said I'll be home early but something came up. Kiba needs some help with his work so I went with him to his house... so far we'd only gone through the first chapter, so I have no idea when we'll be finished…no, no, umm…that could be it. I may sleep out, too. Yeah…tomorrow I'll head to college then come back home, no…he can lend me some of his clothes…Sasuke," Naruto rolled his eyes at his own cell and said with an annoyed tone. "Stop acting like my damn mother, I'm old enough to fend for my own little business. Now, I'm going to hang up and see you tomorrow...!"

Neji had to raise a brow at whatever sentence Sasuke had said into the line; for Naruto's cheeks had suddenly coloured with a faint rosy pink shade that, if he wasn't paying the other the attention he was, he wouldn't be able to distinguish it from the rest of Naruto's features.

Naruto coughed when he saw the intensive look he was getting, and tried to change the topic. "Umm…I know I had said it to Sasuke on the phone, but I really don't want to sleep out tonight. If you could, can you ask your driver to step up on the gas?"

"Well, the problem isn't with the speed, it's with the distance. The hospital is far away. This is the appropriate road speed. Besides; we'll be there in fifteen minutes, so stop sweating so much about it. I'll return you to your boyfriend before your heart breaks."

Naruto blinked, and waved defensive hands before him. "B-Boyfriend? You mean Sasuke? No, no! God no! We're just n-"

"Normal friends? For you information, Uzumaki, friends don't talk to each other the way you had just talked to Sasuke with, nor do they blush when talking to each other."

"Oh, that! It was because he was just being an idiot! I swear there's nothing between me and Sasuke!"

"Your strong desire into denying it only proves how right the assumption is. But relax, I have nothing against you. As long as you have no romantic feelings for Gaara, then we're cool."

Naruto wanted to reply to the words but he couldn't since if he continued to argue more and deny it, the other would really imprint him as Sasuke's boyfriend. He sighed into his hands, frowning at the fact that apparently all of the people around him thought he was either gay, turning gay or dating his hot roommate.

As his beautiful orbs faced the window, he began thinking. What was so wrong with the idea of Sasuke being his boyfriend? Well, putting aside the obvious reason, he couldn't think of any. Sure thing, Sasuke was obnoxious; easy to fight with, hard to understand or even reason with, but all of these qualities were qualities that he didn't find himself hating. But actually liking, since it sparked a spark between them. On the other hand, Sasuke also had some cool qualities, too. He was rich as fuck! He had an ass-kicking car! A castle for a house, he could do sports and to top it all, he was handsome. Naruto frowned at the weird noise his heart was making as he started thinking of Sasuke's features. They were really attractive. He was sure, if he was a gay man, he'd totally aim for Sasuke.

And then his brain had led to the question that had annoyed the hell out of him the past few months, how could he wipe out Sasuke's unearthly features out of his memory just like that? What was the horrific event that had him lose all thoughts about Sasuke? Was his brain really so messed up as not to be able to hold itself after a huge event and eliminate all memories of the one person that had actually meant something to him, excluding his friends?

The answers to all of these questions laid ahead of him as the drive to find out the whole truth about his past had neared its ending. Softly, the car was parked beside the huge hospital, Naruto suppressed the chill that run down his spine at the view. All of his old memories came rushing to the surface when he saw the entrance. Oh, sweet old memories. He wondered if the receptionist would still remember his face after the passage of all that time.

Beating himself on the head that it wasn't all that long actually, he exited the fancy car. Finding Neji by his side, waiting for him to make the first step, Naruto nodded absentmindedly to the long haired male and started making his slow steps to the inside of the hospital.

One foot into the cold interior, and his whole body froze as his limps broke into a cold sweat. The last thing he was able to see was the horrified face of Neji, leaning to catch his sliding body as everything turned pitch black.

* * *

**Thank you for reading so far. I'll be looking forward to your reviews~ :D **


	7. Chapter Seven

**Author Notes:**

**Okay, before anything, there's a review from a 'guest' that I really want to answer, since it made me laugh. No, the necklace will not be used in a cliché manner, and it will not save Sasuke's life from any bullet. The thought didn't even cross my mind 'til I read your review, and God, it made my day! Hopefully, you'll like the twist the necklace will produce into the story, but that's all for the next chapter to tell, for now, enjoy this one, and very sorry for the late update, my Beta was still busy being examined and finally she's done. So, optimistically, there will be no more delays into the updates. :D**

**And again, thanks to all of you who are still following me and my stories, I love you guys. And XxDreaming of RealityxX, you already know how grateful I'm to have you with me, thanks a million, darling!**

**With no further delays, enjoy~**

* * *

Neji frowned at the unconscious blond sleeping soundly on the comfortable hospital bed he'd arranged for him, and his frown shifted as a sigh escaped his lips. Now, with this new development, his chances of getting home to his lovely Gaara were ruined. Well, he had accounted for this to happen the moment Naruto's face had turned ghostly pale at the hospital's front hall, but to be hit with the realization so suddenly had that little spark of hope inside his heart die down. The doctor that had seen Naruto told him that there was no apparent reason why the other should faint, except for mental exhaustion, since his body was alive and kicking. Which led the raven to believe whatever had caused Naruto to lose his memories truly did reside inside this old hospital's wall.

But yet again, what would be troubling enough to cause one to lose a bunch of his memories?

The answer was still vague. He did come up with theories but how much truth they held was irrelevant; because they were just that, theories made by his brain since he refused to grasp the truth. Feeling annoyed with this puzzle that still declined to open its doors to him, Neji stood from the chair he was welcomed into and walked out of the room, thinking to get himself some refreshments since his stay was extended now. His legs took him to the nearby cafeteria and he smiled at the small coffee shop placed there.

Going with certain steps towards his drug, Neji grinned his way into getting himself a sweet-smelling cup of caffeine. He started blowing on the hot beverage as his pocket began vibrating, signalling an incoming call or a text. Neji's mouth curved into a tender smile when he read over the nonchalant words from his roommate. He sent a set of his with assurance to the other that they'd only be one day apart. He got an answer asking for the reason, and he only replied with a curt 'business needed to be taken care of'. Another text about how he shouldn't be doing something naughty was delivered to his warm hands. Neji allowed his locks to fall gently over his face, hiding the happiness that was only meant for Gaara to see there.

He finished with his caffeine and decided to head back to the room, but on his way there, his brain started thinking. If he wasn't wrong, this was the same hospital that Sasuke had made a huge commotion back then to be taken out of. Maybe what had happened to Naruto had something to do with Sasuke's incident. His legs shifted their destination from Naruto's room to the recipient's desk as an idea started forming inside his well-organized brain.

Maybe this puzzle wasn't all that hard to crack, after all.

* * *

"_Stuuupid, it's not done like that!" _

_Pale fingers snatched the set of flowers out of his tanned hands, and the blond teenager found himself pouting at the raven haired male with a dissatisfied look on his lovely features. _

"_Fine! If you think you could do it any better, be my guest! But I'll laugh my ass off when you can't, Jerk!" He stuck his tongue out to make himself clear._

"_Just shut up and watch, Dobe, this is how it's done."_

_Naruto refused to admit it to himself, but the pale, working fingers were keener to how it was to make a bow out of the flower bunch sprayed before them, than his were. A pleased Sasuke thrust the finished bow to Naruto's face. His lips formed a smirk when Naruto's eyes flashed a white flag signalling their surrender. _

"_Stop smirking. So what if you knew how to make a lousy bow?! It doesn't make you anything big; in fact, it just shows how much of a girl you clearly are!" _

_Sasuke rolled his eyes, standing up. "Sourpuss, just admit to your defeat already. I always top you."_

"_It's just this time! Next time I'll show you what's what!" _

_Flaming orbs faced his still hazy ones and against his better judgment, Sasuke felt his inner soul rise with a sense of excitement over their next meeting. He quickly drained his lips from any form of happiness and retorted. _

"_What makes you think there's a next time? I had only humoured you so far, but I may not be doing it next time."_

"_Well, it's not like you have anything better to do. Besides, being with me beats those white walls a hundred times!"_

"_No, it doesn't. I feel the same way whether I'm with you or in my room."_

"_Sasuke, you're such a liar! I can see you having fun with me, and you like it, just admit it already, you like spending time with me."_

_The raven spoke as he started walking towards the familiar road, leading to the outside of the great garden that he was introduced to by the blond behind him. "I'm not. And whatever you try to tell yourself so you can sleep at night is fine with me; just don't involve your wild speculations with me."_

"_They're not wild speculations!" _

"_Yes, they are." _

_Naruto started following behind the half-blind teen with the flower bow tightly held in his hands, disregarding the bench they had been sitting on when they came to their secret base this afternoon._

"_By the way, Sasuke, how come you know how to make a flower bow so well? Normal guys won't."_

"_Are you taking your old words back?"_

"_Shut up, I'm not taking anything back. I'm just admitting that you could do it well, but not better than me!"_

"_Hum, still seems like you're admitting defeat to me."_

"_Agghh! Fine! Whatever you like, I'm admitting defeat. So, would you tell me about it or not? I'm not going to beg your stinking ass for it."_

"_It would be interesting to see you try."_

"_Teme…!"_

"_Hn." Sasuke felt the wall with his hands and made a detour to the right to get to his room, his ears picked up on Naruto changing his tone to a more friendly one when a couple of nurses passed them by and he remained as antisocial as ever. "My mother taught it to me. She liked flowers, and worked with them for a long time. So, sometimes when I had some free time, she would teach me a thing or two about flowers."_

"_Hmm…That sounds pretty cool. Introduce me to your mother next time she visits you, okay?" An excited Naruto chirped to him. _

"_I don't think that that's possible."_

_At the dark tone, Naruto closed his mouth of this topic. He followed Sasuke silently into his room. Yes, it wasn't his first time inside, but every time he would come in, he'd be amazed at the huge, magnificent room. Sasuke had refused to give him any sort of information about him, and he didn't push it much. Yet, it was apparent that the raven wasn't some ordinary person taken from the street. He was something, and judging from the first-class room he was in, he was something big. Probably a child of some rich family._

_But all of that didn't matter to Naruto._

_He closed the door behind him and watched Sasuke slowly make his way towards his bed, then rest on it with one hand placed faintly over his forehead. _

"_Get out. Go back to your room; your physician must be looking for you."_

_Naruto grinned sleekly and made his way towards the comfortable-looking bed. "No worries, today's her day off. No one's looking for me; I can spend some more time with you without anyone interrupting us."_

"_No, you can't. Because I don't want to, so just leave."_

"_What's really wrong? You have been acting out for a while now. What's going on with you?"_

_Tender, tanned hands found their way towards his disoriented locks and as much as Sasuke wanted to push those hands away, he couldn't. So, he released himself a sigh. _

"_Nothing's wrong. Just leave me alone."_

"_Hmm…you don't feel sick…and you're not flushed over a fever, either. Then is it something that you can't tell me?"_

"_Get ou-"_

"_Or don't want to tell me?" _

"…_Even if there was something, be certain you'd be the last person I would tell anything."_

_Naruto withdrew his hands to fold them over his chest. "I take it you still don't trust me."_

"_That's a given. You're still a stranger."_

"_Well, to me you're not. And I won't complain or push you into anything, it's plenty enough you told me your name. I just have one thing I would like to ask you."_

"_Don't ask."_

"_Here it comes then," Naruto grinned when Sasuke released a groan. "Why am I so interested in you?"_

_Before Sasuke could know what's what, a heavy weight hopped on his midsection, he closed his eyes knowing that it would be best to look with his inner eye instead of the lights dancing before his blind orbs like that, and snorted when Naruto brought both his hands on either sides of him to steady himself from falling all over him._

"_That's because you, my friend, are gay. And you can't keep yourself from falling in love with me."_

"_Nah…that's not it. Another reason please."_

"_There's no other. This is the only reason there's to get interested in another male."_

"_No, it's not. I can name you multiple characters across history who have been interested in another male and it had nothing to do with love or them being gay."_

"_Ooh, look who has finally read himself a page outta the history textbooks in his closet."_

"_Ass. I'm serious here. No matter what, I can't seem to let you be alone. But no matter how hard I try, I can't figure it out. What's about you that makes me this interested?"_

_Sasuke sighed and rose slowly from the bed, causing Naruto to relax backwards on his legs before his head could collide with Sasuke's, and he knew the other would not appreciate that very much. _

"_Naruto, what makes you interested in me is that I'm vague, mysterious and something that's utterly new to you. If you got the chance to know me better, you'd lose all this false sense of interest. So, you don't need to think too hard about this, let's just enjoy our time together 'til the day I get discharged comes along. Then each has to go his own path."_

"_What do you mean 'go his own path'? You're planning on stopping being friends after we get out of here?"_

"_Precisely. I have no need of friends, and befriending me will only bring you troubles. That's why it's best to cut this budding friendship when we leave here."_

"_What if I don't want to?"_

"_You don't really have a say in the matter. When I want something to happen, it happens. And I say we'll cease to be friends when I get discharged; you just have to live up with that. Agree to it or don't, it doesn't really matter to me, but for your own good, you should."_

"_Why are you saying such harsh words?"_

_Sasuke put both of his hands on Naruto's chest pushing him upward and away. "The result of hanging out with me further is far worse than my words." _

"_Sas-"_

"_Enough. Move out now. I need to get some shut eye before I meet the doctor. I'd appreciate it if you closed the door behind you, too."_

_With those as his finalizing words, Sasuke returned back to the bed; he turned his back to the blond above him and ignored his presence. Sighing, Naruto decided it was best to leave with his dignity still intact, and rose from Sasuke's bed towards the door. He spared the other a final look before releasing yet another sigh and closed the door silently behind him. _

Golden hair was ruffled as Naruto turned in his sleep, holding the sheets tightly between his hands as his body continued sweating the heat inside it away. He groaned loudly but in the dark lit room no one could hear his agonizing cries and he had to grind and bear it as this heart-wrenching dream continued to play out inside his mind, providing him with zero time to catch his breath.

_He'd decided to respect Sasuke's wishes to sleep without being disturbed, but when he was acting like that just to push him away and said all of these ridiculous things, Naruto just couldn't let it go and return to his white-walled room like that. So, he'd made a detour and walked back towards the ass's room. Yet, as he neared the said room, he frowned at the view of his blind friend being led out by three grown up men wearing black. _

_For a second, he thought them to be related to him, his bodyguards or something, but then, there was this twitch in Sasuke's hand that made a cold feeling descend on his stomach and he just couldn't sit right with that. He frowned when the three men took Sasuke to the elevator and closed the door behind them. Relying on his hunch, Naruto followed closely behind them. He got to the floor at which the elevator had stopped at, then continued to trail them silently. His suspicion only deepened when they had walked out to the ground floor with Sasuke's face giving off an annoyed expression. _

_What business would Sasuke have with this floor? As far as he knew, there was nothing in this current floor except the entrance to the hospital and the recipients with some offices related to the people running the hospital. So, if Sasuke wasn't going to be discussing how this hospital was run, he was going to get out of the hospital. But why go out? Didn't he just tell Naruto that he was going to sleep because he had an appointment with his doctor later today? _

_And as far as Naruto knew, the raven couldn't leave the hospital without being discharged by his appointed doctor. Then what the hell was going on here? Who were those guys taking his friend out? What business did they need with Sasuke? His stomach made turns as he came to the entrance of the hospital and frowned when the guards appointed there weren't in their position. The butterflies in his stomach made a chaos and he went out of the hospital, moving like lightening, he searched for the familiar raven locks he knew very well._

_His mouth fluttered into a relieved expression when he found the other teen. Running towards the car that was about to force an unwilling Sasuke inside, Naruto stood in its path and started shouting._

"_Who the fuck are you?! Let him go!" _

_Blind orbs widened when their owner recognized the voice shouting for his release. "Idiot! What the hell are you doing here?! Get back to the hospital! You have no business with this!" _

"_What are you talking about?! They're abducting you here!"_

"_It doesn't concern you! Just walk away!" _

"_Kid, it would be best to do as he says," One of the three guys with glasses smirked down at Naruto as he showed him the gun placed on the anterior pocket of his black tux. "We don't want any noise or attention here. So, go back to your little hospital and we won't harm you."_

"_Like hell I will! Give Sasuke back!"_

"_Hey, I'm acting nice now. Stop shouting and go back. You don't want me to lose my cool; because I won't be held responsible for what may happen to you if I do." The man replied to Naruto's demands. _

_The blond bit his lips and ran forward to them, he head-butted the one with the gun, causing Sasuke to be pushed back to the bushes nearby because __he was standing behind him. The guy he had just attacked delivered a heavy punch to Naruto's cheek, and the other two stood, smirking as the other got back the price for the silly head-butt he was just given. _

_All Sasuke was able to see were distinct lights dancing and the sound of hits being made to Naruto's body. He felt his body move towards the noise but before he could interact into the fight, one of the standing-by two males, got a hold of him and cuffed both of his hands, pointing the hose of the gun to his back, then smirked sinfully when Sasuke's body ceased moving._

"_Nice thought, bocchan. Now, if only that friend of yours was this smart. You know what, since you're being obedient today, I'll let you in on something. See here, your stupid friend will mostly die, but because he doesn't want you to be worried, he'd put his useless hands on his mouth to prevent his screams from being released. Isn't that sweet? He's being hit to death, and the only thing he used his lousy hands for is to prevent his voice from cracking out. So fucking adorable!"_

_Sasuke's eyes went white at this. He felt his core shake and his nails dug into his flesh, and with everything he had, he cursed everything inside of his black hells. _

"_**STOP IT!**__"_

_His abrupt shout had the man who was using Naruto as a punching bag stop in his mid-kick, and look at the kid he was supposed to kidnap with curious eyes._

"_What?"_

_Sasuke suppressed his will to hit the other to death and said calmly. "Our agreement was to not involve anyone. I am to go quietly with you and, in return, you won't hurt anyone. He is included in that agreement."_

"_And I didn't break my word; he was the one who brought his stupid ass into this mess. You heard when I gave him a choice, didn't you?"_

"_Yes. But it's still not his problem. If you hurt him any further, I assure you, the documents you want to hand to your boss will be burnt paper and you'll be held responsible for it. I can only image the hell you yourself will be put through to compensate the huge amount of loss you will__have delivered to your pathetic boss."_

_Naruto was left to his own agonies as the guy went and grabbed Sasuke forcibly by the collar, steadying him in position. "You threatening me, punk?!"_

"_Merely foretelling the future. If your lousy head is better for anything other than hitting people, then you'll agree with my words."_

_The other two males tried to calm down their third comrade, knowing the truth to the words that were unmistakably threatening them. Luckily, they got to him before he did something to their hostage that wouldn't just have him only endure a hellish treatment, but they too would be dragged into it. _

"_Have it your way, kid! But one pipe out of him, and he's dead!"_

_With that Sasuke was let go off. He nodded. "No problem. Just give me a minute with him."_

"_One minute, that's it." The leader to the three clarified, he looked at one of his comrades and ordered. "Time him!"_

_Knowing that he probably had less than a complete minute, Sasuke went to where his eyes could glimpse a golden hue and kneeled on the dirty ground above a very-beaten up Naruto. He bit his lower lip hard, drawing blood._

"_That's why I told you not to follow me. I knew this was going to happen. Nothing good ever comes out of mingling with me. So this will be the last time we'll ever meet in our whole lives. I dearly hope that you forget everything that you know about me, it's safer for you that way."_

_Naruto raised his hand up, feeling too tired to be able to raise it fully, but Sasuke grabbed it and gave it a tiny squeeze. His mouth failed him as the blood from his broken teeth filled it, making his ability to form words utterly diminished. _

"_The times we've had together were really precious to me; I will always keep them in my mind. Be well, and let go of me…"_

_Sasuke leaned down to deliver a soft kiss to the beaten up cheeks and slowly moved away, removing his hands from Naruto's and, with hazy looking orbs, said to the lying blond the words that his lips weren't able to convey right now._

"_I'm sorry, Naruto. Thank you and goodbye."_

_The last thing Naruto's eyes saw was the picture of Sasuke walking away as he got into the car, which sped quickly and moved away from the place he was in, and the hospital. The blond tried to scream, but all that his lips were able to release was a small whimper and a reminder of how weak and powerless he truly was, causing everyone who was dear to him to be taken away by something much more stronger than he was. _

His azure blue orbs blinked the water inside them out and Naruto rose from his bed. He felt his heart squeeze in pain, and with the back of his hand, he wiped the tears coming out of his eyes. Now, everything was clear to him. All the events concerning Sasuke were crystal clear to him. How could he have forgotten? Even if it was Sasuke's request for him to forget all about him, how could he do that? How could his brain just accept such a cruel fate to uphold him? Now if he had never met up with Sasuke, would he be able to continue his life not knowing anything about the other? Would he be able to lead a normal life with a part of him missing without him even knowing?

Naruto allowed his tears to cascade freely down his cheeks at the gush of old memories flowing into his mind. He remembered everything now. how Sasuke's face would secretly light up when he called him by his name, and how they would be caught by Nana when he would go stay in Sasuke's room for far too long and she would be forced to come there and search for him. Or how it was always a joyful occasion to him when Sasuke would forget for instance that he was with company and act utterly childish. He bit his lower lip when his tears were coming down in merciless relents, forcing his voice to turn into hiccups out loud.

He slowly stood up from the bed and clicked the door open. His blurry vision was skewered even further by the strong lights in the hall; a part of him was happy that no one was there to witness his crying face, and with hesitant steps, he made his way towards the rooftop. The first place where he'd met up with Sasuke.

As he opened the door there, the cold air hit his clothed body. Naruto begged for his tears to stop flowing, but they refused. His emotions were like a rollercoaster inside his body, and he just couldn't stop them to concentrate on one place. He was happy, sad, angry, glad, guilty, irritated, sorrowful and remorseful. As he walked towards the familiar road, Naruto saw flashes of the first time he made contact with Sasuke. The tiny figure holding the weight of the world on its shoulders with bandages hiding his black jewels, flashed with a black hue to him.

It was too much, his emotions and memories were too much and he couldn't take it. Stumbling backwards, he hit the wall and slide down it with cold hands closing over his eyes, hiding his tears and shame and crying with the loudest voice he had for the pain throbbing inside his chest to subside and his heart to quiet down a little.

* * *

Sasuke turned the curtain hiding the falling drops from his eyes. He frowned at the heavy pour and glanced at the clock on the wall. His frown turned into an uneasy feeling when it read ten in the evening. Shaking his head and assuring himself that nothing bad would be happening, he lit the cigarette that he never usually would, and took a lethal dose of the addictive nicotine. The familial, old friend that had gotten him through high school was welcomed with open arms into the neighbouring nostrils. Sasuke moved away from the window and checked his cell in case there were some missed call from his beloved, but none were there.

Okay, so Naruto told him he was staying at that guy's house…umm…named Kiba or something…yeah, but why couldn't he settle with those words? It felt as if there was something the blond was hiding from him, and call it hunch or his long experience into dealing with lies, but he just didn't believe that flat out lie one bit. Naruto was up to something, and probably it was something to do with him. His brain quickly jumped to the worst case scenario, and again he had to take a deep breath of the cancer stick in his fingers to calm his nerves down before he goes and informs his security system to dig out his lost friend.

Which wasn't a very good idea, because then Naruto would be mad at him. And he didn't want to deal with an angry Naruto right now.

Sighing when his aching muscles forced him to sit down on the bed, Sasuke's brain began thinking of a way to find out where Naruto was without exposing himself. Yet suddenly, before he was given a time to form a sane thought, his cell began ringing. It didn't talk more than five minutes for his face to drain from all colours, and for his legs to fly to his car. Because that one phone call had brought all of his suspicions to light and Naruto was caught in a swirl of danger.

* * *

Neji cursed himself for making that call, but in the state he found Naruto in, he had to, there was no one who could mend the emotional male to shape other than Sasuke. He waited by the door, expecting the arrival of the short haired raven, which to his dismay took longer than it should have. He looked out of the window and frowned at the weather. If his information were correct, Konoha would be caught in a heavy downpour right now. He sighed as he went to relax on the comfortable armchair beside the front hall. If he was going to wait, he wasn't going to do it standing the hell up.

It took about one hour and a half until his doorbell rang, but it finally did and Neji gladly opened it to welcome the other in. It was apparent from the dishevelled appearance that Sasuke had run his heart here. The long haired raven was just glad the other hadn't gotten himself into an accident with the speed that he must've driven with here.

"Where is he?"

The calm tone didn't hide much of the rashness Sasuke was emitting, Neji smirked. "Inside, in the room on your left. To make it easier for you two to talk, I booked myself another room. I'll be going to bed now. Handle him, he gave me enough trouble."

With that, Neji had left his childhood friend to the mess inside and closed the door behind him. Sasuke swallowed hard the lump inside his throat. His sweating body seemed to cool down now that he knew there was nothing wrong with Naruto and that he hadn't gotten caught in another trouble because of him. He walked further inside and two rooms came to face him, a whimpering sound came from the room on the left, and that was the room he'd chosen to get into.

"Naruto?"

Sasuke had to switch on the lights to get a better look at the room, but the moment he did so, a cry had him switch them immediately off.

"DON'T!"

He closed the door and walked towards where he was able to see the curled form of Naruto huddled in, which was a corner of the room. His blond was holding his legs close to his chest with his back against the huge windows on the fancy hotel Neji had picked for them to stay the night in. Sasuke sighed and continued walking closer.

"Naruto…"

"Don't get any closer!"

"…it's me, Sasuke."

"I…I know who you are, but I can't face you just yet…why are you here?"

Sasuke sat where he was and allowed Naruto's wishes to pass. "Neji called me. He told me about what you two have decided to do."

"…"

"Did you remember anything?"

The only reply he got was the sound of Naruto's teeth colliding against each other, releasing the whimpering sound he'd heard earlier from his lips. Sasuke gave off a soothing aura and continued talking.

"I guess you did then. I don't really blame you for it, since it was I who had requested it. But after meeting you again, I couldn't stop myself from getting angry that you'd actually gone and forgotten about me, even when I was spending all of my time searching for you and remembering you. I guess it just came as a shock to me…that's why I was extremely mean to you…and for that I'm sorry."

"It…it's all my fault…I shouldn't have forgotten about you…I'm the one to blame here not you Sasuke. Sorry, I'm so sorry, Sasuke…!"

"Naruto, what are you talking about? It's not like you wanted to forget. Your subconscious was the one that made you forget. It's not your fault."

"N-No, it was…I wanted so much to forget my humiliation at not being able to help you…to forget that there was another being who I wasn't able to save…I made myself forget, it was all so I wouldn't feel any guilt or remorse…I'm sorry…even when I could've told the cops and they could've rescued you…I'm so, very sorry…forgive me…please…"

Sasuke shook his head at the great misunderstanding Naruto's brain had harboured and stood up, walking towards the snivelling blond who in his own fit of confusion was unable to detect the change in Sasuke's status. The raven kneeled down beside a messed up Naruto; he extended a pale hand to pet Naruto on the head quietly with, and made him aware that he was here.

"Naruto, listen to me good, okay? Right now, you're experiencing a great misunderstand about what had happened that day."

The blond refused to give him any indication he was listening, but Sasuke ignored it and continued with his explanation, believing that along the way, Naruto was bound to pay attention.

"What had happened that day, I had known it was going to happen. Do you remember when you'd asked me back then if there was something troubling me? Well, there was…I had to participate in a stupid plan to trap some thugs who were targeting me. Kakashi was the one who had come up with the plan, and I was used as bait. I was troubled because I didn't know what may happen if something was to go wrong and someone who wasn't related to me was to get hurt…I was scared that you might get hurt. That's why I tried to get you to move away from me. But in the end, the thing I was most afraid of had happened. And I couldn't face myself anymore. I couldn't stand the thought of you getting hurt another time. So, I stayed away from your life. But I couldn't stop thinking about you. You were like my good luck charm. I would always remember your cheerful words, or the way your golden hue would mix so sweetly with your tan coloured skin. I had your picture memorized inside my mind."

Sasuke adjusted his position when Naruto raised his face slowly to look at him. He stifled a snicker at the puffy face drenched in tears and snot and helped Naruto clean it up a little. Yet, when Naruto's right eye released a stray tear again, his hand went fast to wipe if off and then he continued with his tale.

"After I had gone through surgery and had regained my sight back, I just couldn't bear the thought of not knowing your precise features. So, I had an investigator search for you. I was surprised to know that you'd been discharged from the hospital and were living with your pink haired friend and her family, which made it a bit tricky to find you since I kept looking depending on your name not hers, but eventually I did. And then, I was given the pleasure to see your true features for the first time, I do admit, your face was slightly different from what I had imagined. But even though, I couldn't come to dislike it, it was in my sight perfect for your personality, and despite my wish to stay away from you; at certain times I couldn't withstand knowing your whereabouts and not going to see you. So, I made a habit, of going to places you used to go to, with a hidden motive to maybe bump into you."

Naruto's eyes went wide as he was hearing the other talk. He didn't know how he should react, because to him, Sasuke was shining with a lovely light that he himself couldn't muster in his whole life. Upon seeing Naruto give him a fascinated, charming stare, Sasuke continued with his mouth switching towards a smile.

"Remember, when you asked me what I liked to do in my free time? Well, as much as it shows me to be a definite stalker, I would always go see you. I'd continuously target places you frequent or work part time at, just to see you."

"…Is that really the truth?"

The raven nodded, sitting fully on the ground. "Yes. I don't tell lies. So, you don't really need to apologize for anything your subconscious had done; because them catching me was a part of the plan, and actually, I was rescued shortly after I got what I wanted from them."

"T-Then why didn't you come back? Back to the hospital…"

"…That, I couldn't do. I had gotten you involved in something bad, and I had to stay away."

Naruto felt another tear roll down and then Sasuke's cold fingers brushed it off. His mouth stretched into a tiny smile. As Sasuke seemed to radiate a strange soothing aura, Naruto felt his skin ache to touch the being beside him, and as if lost in an enchanted spell, he extended both his arms and threw himself on top of Sasuke. Definite to say, Sasuke was pushed flat out onto the carpeted floor. The raven didn't refuse the sudden, impulsive push but added proximity to their position by circling his own arms around Naruto, drawing him closer.

"I'm still sorry for forgetting about you, but I'm glad that I was finally able to remember."

"Yeah, I'm glad, too. Now you won't call me a stranger anymore."

"I'm sorry about that…you're not a stranger to me. I can't believe I had even said those words to you. I'm very ashamed of that."

The raven allowed the tanned arms to strangle him tight; he swayed a little to relax into a more comfortable position and whispered into Naruto's ears.

"Hearing you say that means the world and more to me. I forgive you, there's nothing you need to apologize for."

Naruto nodded and rested his aching head on top of Sasuke's chest. The strong aroma coming from Sasuke's cologne made his throbbing heart ease into a sedative rhythm. His right hand went to search for Sasuke's and he linked their fingers together; tightening so softly to make sure that he was in the embrace of the guy he'd forgotten all about. His mouth switched into a contented smile and slowly he rose from Sasuke's chest.

"Sasuke…I need to go wash up now. I'm filled with nothing but sweat, snot and tears. I need to cool down in the bathtub for a while, 'kay?"

The raven nodded, already following Naruto's path and standing up on his own. "Sure, take one. Want me to come along or…?"

Naruto released a small smile. "Thank you, but no thanks. I will not give you any means to rape me, even in my weak status."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, dusting himself off. "Oh, would you stop flattering yourself already? If I wanted to rape you, I would have done so from day one."

"No you couldn't; because as I remember correctly, I was the one who had beaten your stinking ass into a pulp that day."

"It seems you're remembering things _wrongly_, dear Naruto, your lame punches couldn't even scratch the outer layer of my skin!"

"Huh! Think what you want to think, but we both know the truth."

"Oh, just go to your bath already." Sasuke replied, slumping on the huge bed that was sitting on the hard floor. He heard Naruto snicker softly then disappear into the darkness behind.

Sasuke sighed and started taking his clothes off. When he was given that call from Neji, he'd felt the inside of his heart squeeze in pain, and he started blaming himself for pushing Naruto into this hole. If he didn't ask the blond to begin thinking of him and remember their joint past, then this wouldn't have happened to him. But then again, it didn't all turn out to be something bad, right now Naruto was in the next room with his full memories of the time they've spend together back. His mouth fluttered into a smile as his legs took off the pair of jeans on them. Maybe his rotten luck was finally turning into something good.

By the time Naruto was out and looking like a new human being, Sasuke was fast a sleep with half of his body naked to the bone. The blond shook his head and pulled the covers over Sasuke's exposed figure, then got himself into the free space beside the raven. He shut the dim lightness beside him and a serene smile resident itself on his face when his eyes caught a glimpse at the human lying beside him.

At that moment, it was like the whole world had stood still, leaving Sasuke's calm breaths to be the only noise there was alongside the deep echoing thumps of his heart. And Naruto's own breaths hitched in his throat.

* * *

"Do I really need to close my eyes for this, Sasuke? It kinda doesn't make sense."

"Yes it does, and it's called a surprise. Now, just keep them closed 'til I say you can open them."

Naruto pouted but complied with the orders. He felt Sasuke's somewhat rough hands take his on and start leading him. The atmosphere around was quiet, so he had little clue as to where he was, and if Sasuke was thinking of killing him and then burying the body, he didn't think anyone would know. Naruto frowned at his own track of mind and dismissed the thought with a shake. The hands leading his on tightened momentarily and Sasuke's voice resonated beside him.

"Watch your footing, there're some steps here."

Naruto nodded and raised his feet up to the said steps. "How many steps?"

"Four." After Naruto stepped on all of them, the raven clarified. "Yes, finished them. Now walk normally."

The blond released a sigh. "Sasuke, do I really need to keep my eyes closed? I mean, I appreciate the fact that you want to keep this a surprise and all, but you don't really need to do that. Maybe I haven't told you this about myself, but surprises aren't really my thi-"

"Okay, shut your trap up. We're here. Open your eyes."

Happy that he was finally given his freedom back, Naruto fluttered his eyelashes open. His gorgeous eyes went wide at the view in front of them. So, he wasn't one to stand and stare** –** except in some occasions – but the scene before him had that status vanished. His tanned hands fell so smoothly out of Sasuke's grip and his feet led him to take some closer steps to the wide starry skies facing him.

Million and billions of billions of stars stretched across his sight. Each was glowing in a bizarre light different from the other, Naruto felt his heart skip a beat at the dark blue hue extending on the horizon. He was looking at pure nature. At what environmental people wished to protect and what God had made. He swallowed the lump in his throat, trying his hardest to come up with one word that could describe what his eyes were witnessing. But due to his poor vocabulary knowledge, his mouth could only free one simple word.

"Amazing!"

"You like it?"

Naruto's eyes sparkled when he looked back at the human who had allowed them such a pleasure and his lips rejoiced. "Of course! This is stunning, Sasuke! What is this place?"

Finally aware of his surroundings, the blond started looking around him. He was inside a place made out of glass. Glass, glass and glass everywhere. Wherever his eyes extended, he could only see glass. The doors, windows, ceiling, lights, paintings, and even the floor on which he stood, was made of glass. It was a dreamy palace and he couldn't imagine what a mere peasant like himself was doing inside it. Naruto tried to rub the dirt on his sole off as not to dirty the clean floor, but the only reaction that action had initiated was Sasuke's melodious laughter echoing behind him.

"Baaakaa~ what the hell are you doing?"

Feeling embarrassed with his dirty sneakers and getting caught trying to clean them, Naruto sheepishly smiled back. "I just didn't want to dirty this place."

"I didn't bring you here so you can worry about useless things like that. Your mission is to enjoy yourself with me here. Consider this the ending of the day I had wanted with you…the day that had been wasted."

Pink lips turned into a sweet smile as Naruto made his way beside his annoyed friend. "You can't still be pissed about something like that. I still have a lot of days in my life to spare, Uchiha."

Sasuke smirked, getting closer to Naruto and pulling him softly from the midsection. "Am I expected to take that as an invitation for me to take a day, then?"

"Right now, you can take a whole year and I won't give a damn."

With that, Naruto brought his arms around Sasuke's neck and sealed their close proximity with a tender kiss that he didn't wish for it to end for a while. But it did, since they needed to break for air, and then before Sasuke could be ignited to extend the kiss into another steamy, hot one, Naruto's eyes were caught by something up on a different floor **- **since they were only separated by transparent glass, he was able to view what was above him. Getting fascinated and further fascinated by the design and the place, he broke free from Sasuke's grip, and abided to drag him up the glassy stairs to the big, shiny, black device.

"Wow! Is that a telescope?"

"Yes." Sasuke answered, getting closer to the device. "It's called Refractor Telescope. It enables you to see the creation of stars, the Nebulas, and in a magical way, you can see the universal infinity with clear eyes."

"Awesome! Can I use it?"

"You can, just let me position it for you first."

The blond moved aside, giving the other some space to turn and twirl the lenses that mystically were going to allow him a chance to look at what was lying above his head for as long as he could remember. Truthfully, he was never into Astronomy much. Heck, not even Mother Nature. But, somehow, being in a place like this, and having the ability to view something that his eyes had never seen, made his little-explorer self awaken.

Sasuke moved aside to provide him with a complete access to the Refractor. "It's fixated on the Orion Nebula. Cool, right?"

Naruto's mouth stretched into a smile when his eyes got hold of the faraway twinkles. He nodded, trying to absorb the image into his brain as best as he could. "I have never seen anything more beautiful than this!"

Sasuke sat back on the comfortable set of armchair placed on this wonderful facility and waited for Naruto to see his full. In fact, this suggestion to have the blond see something fascinating to get his emotional status back to its normal condition was Neji's. He remembered when he was awakened roughly by his cell with a call from his long-timed friend telling him how he'd left and how he should, instead of returning back to their normal lives, show Naruto a thing or two in life. So, he'd started by expensive, exquisite dishes that had left Naruto's mouth watering for more, and finished with a visit to his family's Astronomy Club.

He'd had all the people kicked out just for Naruto to have his fun. Sasuke snickered to himself, thinking of the reaction Naruto would uphold had he known about this. But he decided to keep it to himself. This was their day, and he was sure to make Naruto get the best out of it.

Finally, the blond detached himself from the telescope and grinned down to the source of his happiness.

"Done?"

"Yep! That was awesome! I don't think I'll ever forget this! Thank you, Sasuke. For showing me something like this, you're really a great friend!"

The raven rose from the chair and nodded with his facial features showing a passing frown that disappeared before Naruto could get a chance to notice it. "…Alright. Come on, there's one last thing I want to show you before we leave."

"Eeeh? We're leaving so fast?"

"Do you want to stay?"

"Well," Naruto glanced back at the telescope and the spacious new ground that he wanted to explore and nodded. "Yeah, but if you don't want to, we can leave. I had enough fun to last me a lifetime!"

Sasuke smiled and took Naruto's hand again. "The thing I want to show you tops this place even more. And if after seeing it you still want to get back here, we'll return. I'm all yours for the night."

Naruto laughed joyfully at the words. "That doesn't come in the sexual context, does it? 'Cause I'm not in the mood for getting fucked."

"Dobe, your brain is as rotten as always. I don't always think with my cock."

"Sure you don't."

At the sarcastic remark, Naruto was hit on the head. "Stupid."

"And you love me~"

"I don't. This way."

Sasuke continued on with his dragging-spree and Naruto had to close his gaping mouth at the beautiful scenery playing before his eyes. As he was walking on clouds, literally clouds – since the floor was made out of transparent glass that made to shape like a fluffy cloud** – **he knew how the first ape-man must've felt when he was first introduced to the fire. His eyes glittered with a childish excitement when the clouds under his feet started changing colours as they were walking. And suddenly, the glassy walls turned into different bits of broken glass woven together to form diverse shapes. His smile matured into a lovely grin at the door made of swan-resembling-glass that Sasuke had them stand in front of.

He tilted his head to the side as the glassy, sparkling eyes of the swan were pushed by Sasuke's other free hand, making the exquisite door dim out to the background and open through the swan's wings. In his place he could only see darkness, but as they started going inside the newly opened area, Naruto couldn't do anything but allow his tips to tingle from amazement.

They were facing an area of open green grass. An extending field that Naruto failed to detect the end of. But what was different about this field was the sky above it. It was dark, pitch black, with stars twinkling in it. Like a lovely black night gown worn with glittering accessories. Sasuke looked at him and gave a proud smile.

"Come, you haven't seen the good part, yet."

Again, he was taken into another unfamiliar area. This time, as they were walking on the grass, Naruto could detect in the faraway space something that looked like…a capsule? Upon coming a little closer, his views were corrected at the sight of the strange looking chairs placed in there. Actually, Naruto couldn't know how to describe it, because it wasn't a chair, nor a couch, or a bed. It was a whole combination of all of them. With a set of buttons on each side, and a huge blanket in the centre. He blinked his wonders to the male beside him.

"I designed this. Get in and you'll understand everything."

Naruto looked at the confident eyes asking for his trust, and he gave it. Hopping onto the chair-bed device and then allowing Sasuke space to hop also, made Naruto's hair stand up in weird ends. He was asked to lay back in relaxation as the device had so suddenly started shooting up. Naruto grabbed hard to the leather under him and opened his closed lids when Sasuke's voice had told him to open his eyes and take a look.

And for the umpteenth time that day, Naruto's brain stood in wonder for the words. The city under him sparkled with lights as he felt Sasuke shift something in the chair-bed they were in, only to find out that it was the blanket brought to cover their midsection as the cold night's air started blowing on them.

"Sasuke, I don't know what to say."

"That's good enough."

"You were the one to design this device?"

The raven nodded, pushing a button that brought out a set of coloured goggles. "Yes, I had always thought that instead of just watching the stars from a mere telescope, people would enjoy it more if they were to do it lying down on comfortable piece that made them feel closer to the heavens. Here, wear this."

Naruto was handed in the foreign goggles and he wore them with marvel. "What is this?"

Sasuke pushed another button close to Naruto's right and the goggles turned on with a pinkish hue. "What do you see now?"

Naruto's mouth ginned and his voice conveyed his happiness to the latter. "The Orion Nebula! Amazing! Is this also a form of telescope or something?"

"Or something. It basically uses the same but a different principle than the telescope, on the first few equations and calculations, they're the same, but coming to the last few where you have the index numbers, they differ. So, they're the same, but different. Following me?"

"No, not really."

"Then never mind, unless you're into Astronomy or studying it, you won't understand what I'll be explaining, so, just forget it and enjoy the view."

"That, I'll do!"

Sasuke allowed his lips to stretch into a small smile at the happiness radiating from Naruto, because of him. He relaxed back onto his device and pulled his own goggles on. Releasing an unnoticeable sigh, he allowed the beautiful scenery and company to snatch him away from his burden-filled life to the beautiful universes for at least a day. Sasuke sneakily linked his fingers with the tanned ones under the blanket, and refused his smile to stretch into a full grin when the other fingers replied by tightening their hold.

* * *

"And then, he took me to this amazing place where they had stars painting, telescopes and glassy floor, I mean I'm not one to actually enjoy such things but, Sakura, that place was heaven! I totally won't mind if he takes me there another time. Then when we were finished with it, Sasuke drove us to this restaurant his family owns, well, there really was no one there, because we went to it about three in the morning, and he allowed me to eat everything I wanted. Sasuke is such a good guy; I'm feeling more and more guilty about forgetting about him."

Sakura closed her magazine and rolled her eyes. "Alright, I give up, there's no way I'll be finishing my shopping with you nagging non-stop like a newlywed wife about her stupid, handsome husband. So, come on, shower me with complementation about him!"

Naruto frowned at his best friend and her description. "I don't talk about Sasuke that way, and the only reason I'm telling you this is that I thought you'd be interested in the Astronomy place we went to."

"Oh Naruto, I had lost my interest the third time you'd decided to gloat on it. Don't you realize that you've been talking about the same old thing for the past hour like a broken record?"

Naruto's brows met together as a finger went under his chin. "…No, I wasn't."

"I figured." She sighed. "I had already memorized the fantastic evening you'd spent with your prince, and if you want proof I can tell you, even with details, the actions that had taken place that night."

The beautiful features she liked to tease so much turned into a nicely formed frown. "…Did I really talk all that much about Sasuke?"

She nodded, happy that her friend was starting to understand why she wanted nothing more than his trap to close about his roommate. "You remind me of Ino when she gets a new boyfriend. Turns into a complete annoying chatterbox!"

"Well, that doesn't relax me one bit, Sakura."

"And it shouldn't. You're getting too close to him here. And I think the barrier between you two might really just up and disappear if he started inviting you on dates."

Naruto jumped to correct her. "But it wasn't a date. He took me there because he wanted me to cheer up. That's all."

"Baka, if he wanted you to cheer up, there would be more than one way to cheer up a roommate that he doesn't hold any particular feelings for. But he went out of his way to secure you something that a normal person would be working for years to attain, which means that you mean to him much more than just a roommate. So, it was a date."

"Sakura, Sasuke is just treating me that way because it's the norm for him. He is rich; he views the world in a different set of eyes than we do. I'm sure he thought he was treating a friend the normal way. You shouldn't read too much into these things."

"No, you should be the one to start raising your guard up. That guy doesn't wish to just remain a friend, and what scares me is that you'll one day be sharing these feelings with him."

"…I still don't understand you. Is this about the kisses again? Because I said I'd st-"

She dismissed him with her hand. "Has nothing to do with them. I'm merely making an observation here. Just be careful of him, Naruto. I don't want you to wake up one day being raped in your bed."

At her words, he released a harmonious laugh that left her raise a thin pink eyebrow. "Sakura-chan, I swear, you're worrying with no reason. Sasuke…I did tell you about my memories, right?"

"Yeah, but with no much detail though, which reminds me, there's a question I want to ask you about it."

Naruto stopped in the sentence he was about to say, and switched to a question. "What?"

"How come I haven't ever met up with him if he was staying with you in the same hospital – knowing that I always, almost daily, come and visit you?"

"Actually, there's a really insignificant reason for that. The period I had known Sasuke in, you were away. You were staying at your grandma's house, remember? Your spring break, you went to stay with her and couldn't visit. That was the timeline at which I met up with him, and by the time you came back, Sasuke had switched hospitals, and I had totally forgotten about him."

"Ahaa…I do remember coming back to find you almost bashed to death."

The blond sweat-dropped, remembering his incompetence. "It wasn't all that bad…"

"Yes, it was. But no one was talking on how you had ended up with such bruises. I remember thinking you were being bullied by the hospital personnel's and my dad had actually come to the hospital to talk about it. But in the end, we weren't given any precise information. They just all sat and said that they'd found you lying on the hospital's parking lot bruised like that. I had always suspected that they were paid off by someone some hush money. Who would have known it was due to the dick?!"

"Sakura," He started easing. "Sasuke just wanted me to forget the bad experience and everything about him. That's why he paid them off. And I don't agree with what he did, but I understand him, I know the feeling to want to hide stuff to keep the other party from suffering quiet well."

Sakura sighed and put the magazine off her hands to pat her best friend softly on the head. "Alright, Naruto. I'm sorry. You don't have to force yourself to remember something unpleasant for my sake."

He brightened up for a minute and nodded to her. "Thanks, I knew you would get it."

"So? What was that thing you wanted to tell me?"

It took the blond a few seconds to put together what she was talking about, but when he did, he said with a nod. "Yeah, what I wanted to say is that…Sasuke, he's just trying to compensate our time together. Now that I actually remember what had happened between us, or how I have come to meet him, I think I understand his approaches more. And it has nothing to do with romance. He is just compensating time…the best he knows how."

"Fine," She pulled the band holding her locks together and reasoned. "If he is compensating, how about you?"

Naruto fluttered his golden lashes at her. "Me? What about me?"

"What do you think about him? How do you feel about all of this?"

"Hmm…I never really thought about it."

"Start now!"

"Sakura, what is it about Sasuke that tips you this off? Weren't you going to make him yours? What happened to that plan of yours?"

"We're not talking about me here. Answer my question."

"Alright, but after I do that, you're going to tell me why you hate him so much, okay?"

Looking at the big blue oceans facing her was always Naruto's hidden spell to get her to agree to any silly idea he was cooking or how to rob something from the candy store near her house, and even this time, they convinced her to agree to a silly condition that she could've gotten this information without. Sakura smacked herself internally on how good she is to Naruto and agreed.

"Okay. But it's the truth I want."

"And truth is what you shall get."

"Then? How do you feel about Sasuke?" She urged when Naruto was taking more than needed time to provide her with an answer.

"…See, it's really hard to describe it to you, since I don't really know how. But the thing is, I don't dislike him…I think I like him, really like him, and no, it's not in the sexual manner. I just really like him, for the person he is. Sasuke is just amazing. He is a genius, handsome, with an Asshole-personality, but I still like it. Do you understand me?"

She rolled her eyes, stood up and took her purse to put the money for her dish on the table. "The only thing I understand is that you're already head over heels for his highness."

"Come on, Sakura! I said I'm not in love with him!"

"Sure…call me when you realize it, I have an appointment with Ino to catch." Sakura walked towards him and gave him a small kiss on the cheek. "Be good, sweetie."

"Wait! You're not just going to leave without telling me why you hate him!"

"The same reason why you love him. He is conceited, arrogant and a complete jackass. He thinks just because he has good looks he can walk all over the world, which ain't going to happen."

At her words, Naruto's brows met again. "Hey, did Sasuke say something to you?"

Sakura gave off a small friendly smile and shook her head. "No, he didn't. It's my own assumption. Just be careful around him, Naruto. You're very important to me and I'd rather see hell than have something bad happen to you."

The blond gave her a squeeze on her soft hands and nodded. "Don't worry, I will only be good. You should start concentrating more on yourself."

Sakura winked, walking out of the coffee shop. With a final wave to him, she whispered to the passing air.

"That's what I'm trying to do, Naruto, that's what I'm trying to do."

* * *

**Extremely sorry for the late update, but hopefully, you won't have to wait long for the next chapter, *crosses her fingers*, and thanks for reading so far. I'll be waiting for your reviews, everyone! **


	8. Chapter Eight

**Author's Notes:**

**Yay! This chapter is out on time! Thank you my amazing Beta, XxDreaming of RealityxX, I know I trouble you with me, but this chapter would not have been born without your help, so, thank you! Now, thank you everyone for the reviews, follows and favorites, I love you all! So, enjoy the chapter and I hope it makes your days!**

**Oh, P.S. It's 'Chin' not 'Chan', and no, it's not a typo, I wrote it because I mean it. It's just like 'Tan', if you watch enough Anime, you're going to know. So, please everyone, no more reviews asking me about it, because it's not wrong, or something I've missed, it's right and I wrote it by intention. Thank you very much for reading this. No offence to anyone. **

* * *

Naruto pulled the sweater he was wearing closer to his body as the chilly atmosphere got to his bones; his eyes relinquished in a happy dance when he could see the rim of the house shining from where he was. His legs started quickening their steps and he jumped the hole that so strangely was dug in the middle of the street to possibly trip walkers as they passed it by. Ignoring the weird incident, he stuck his hands in his pocket and tried to balance his legs with his backpack as he made his way towards the safe house that he'd come to recognize as his home.

Finally, his new house was in reach and he nodded his head for the two guards that he'd made friends with as he pulled out his keys from his back pocket to open the master door with. Once inside the warm walls, he called out to the other male he was supposed to be living with.

"Sasuke, I'm back!"

Sure thing, there was no answer. And Naruto didn't find it odd, because the house was too large for his voice to penetrate the normal walls – putting aside the rooms with soundproof walls – for Sasuke to be able to hear him. But even though, he wanted to say those words, because as long as he'd lived, he wanted to hear and be able to say them, since to him, they were like a good luck charm, always protecting his entrance and passage in and out of whatever place he called home.

Walking towards the kitchen to pour himself some water to drink, Naruto's face turned into a shocked expression when his eyes laid on the other human being standing in the middle of his kitchen, wearing what appeared to be an apron whilst happily…cooking?

Naruto quickly shook his head and raised his guard. "…What are you doing here?" He suspiciously released out.

The set of chocolate orbs blinked then a happy expressionmade itself resident on the young teacher's face. "Naruto-kun! What brings you here?"

The blond frowned and walked further inside. "I just asked you."

Iruka scowled at the way he was being spoken to with, but let it slide and answered the other truthfully. "I came to visit Kakashi. You?"

"Kakashi-san? You know him?"

"I answered your question; it's only fair that you answer mine."

"I live here. This is my house…for now."

Iruka's smile returned back as he closed the lid on whatever he was cooking and walked towards the still suspicious male. "Hmm…Kakashi did mention that Sasuke-kun was staying here with him alongside his roommate. I take it you're Sasuke-kun's roommate?"

"Yeah. And what's your relationship with Kakashi-san again?"

"He is my friend. We've known each other since college, and seriously, drop the tone. You're making me feel like a trespasser or some lowlife criminal coming to rob you."

Naruto's frown didn't change and he said truthfully. "I don't really know you. And, as I have been told, this is a safe house. No one knows about it except for Sasuke, Kakashi-san and I. Your presence wasn't noted to me."

"Firstly, this isn't a safe house, it's Kakashi's house, and of course I'll be visiting since it's my best friend's house. Now, it's not my fault if you didn't know, and it may be true that you haven't been informed about this…but I'm telling the truth."

"How do I know you're not lying?"

"Because I don't tell lies. And if you want further proof, I'll let you hear the words coming from Kakashi himself."

The blond waited as the brunet took off his apron and disappeared from his sight. For a moment, a thought about how the other might've fled the scene after being caught throbbed inside his head, but he dismissed it. That was his father's friend they were talking about here, he would not lie to him. And as he thought about it further, the words of the brunet really did make sense, because as he looked around, there really was nothing out of place and the opposite really, a new vase was placed near the TV set and the kitchen smelled of freshly baked goods. Now, where on Earth did you hear of a thief coming to cook for the house he was supposed to rob?

Nowhere, because it never happened. Naruto kicked himself mentally for the words he'd said and cursed his own stupidity under his breath. He should have believed him when he'd said he wasn't trespassing, not force him into trying hard to prove himself. The blond sighed and pulled his hat off.

Before he could go out of the kitchen to call the brunet adult back and tell him that there was no need to get Kakashi and go out of his way to prove Naruto anything – since he already believed him – he was taken aback by a glaring Kakashi, folding both his hands on his chest, and sneering down at him.

"What, Blondie?! Why did you have to bully Iruka so late at night?!"

The silver haired was hit on the head by the adult teacher standing two feet beside him. "What are you doing threatening him like that?! And he wasn't bullying me; Naruto-kun had acted right! I'm proud of him for not just accepting my presence just like that. He needs to watch out for strangers."

"Stupid, what the hell are you saying? You're not a stranger; this is your house as much as it's mine."

"He doesn't know that. And if you'd clarified everything from the start to him, this wouldn't have happened. It's your fault, not his. So, stop glaring at him."

Naruto watched as the glare he was being given subsided into an annoyed scowl. He backed up a few steps into the wall when Kakashi had suddenly come flying towards his face.

"Look here chibi, Iruka is no danger. He is as harmless as a bug. So, I don't want to be woken up again just because your little ass failed to identify a friend from a foe."

And Kakashi was kicked this time on the ass as Iruka pulled the blond close to his arms in a protective manner. "I told you not to threaten him! Can't you see that your big, ugly face is scaring him?!"

Kakashi rolled his visible eyes and waved his hand as he ascended the stairs to his room for some rest. "Fine. I'm off to bed. Don't you dare come wake me up again when he starts questioning you for answers, because I'll only turn a blind eye then."

Iruka rolled his own eyes back and pulled Naruto into the kitchen. The blond looked from the disappearing form of Kakashi to the male in front of him and voiced in uncertainty.

"Umm…is it alright to leave it like that? He seemed angry."

"Oh, just let him be. He's just acting like a child. I bet you if something bad happensto me, he'll be the first one to fly here. Kakashi is all talk and no action."

Naruto's mouth stretched into a smile when he was seated on one of the comfortable armchairs in the kitchen, whilst Iruka returned to tending to his food.

"You seem close to him."

"I told you, I have known him since college. That's a whole lifetime by itself."

"Why haven't I seen you here often then?"

"That's because I don't visit often. If I came here to visit, Kakashi would force me to stay more than a day. And since I don't really like that, I tend to run away from this place."

"Then why come today?"

"I heard that Sasuke-kun is here, and since he is, Kakashi won't ask me to stay. That's why I decided to visit and check how everyone's doing. I didn't expect to find you here though; truly the world is a small village."

"Yeah, tell me about it. Umm…Iruka-san, about earlier," Naruto gave off a sheepish smile. "I apologize for my behaviour; I didn't mean to make you feel unwelcome."

"Nah," Iruka dismissed his apology with the base of his hand. "There's no need for that. I actually think you did a good job, since it's always best not to trust others quickly and to always keep your guard up, especially when you find a stranger inside your own house."

Naruto shook his head. "No, you're not a stranger. If I had spent a minute thinking, I would have known that. No friend of my father's is ever a bad person. I'm sorry again, please accept my apology."

"I don't really see any need for it, but if it will make you feel better, I accept it."

"Thank you…"

"You're welcome. Now, go wash up and call Sasuke-kun with you to come down for dinner. Ignore Kakashi though."

"You're cooking dinner?"

"Yes. I'll call you when it's done, so please don't be late."

Naruto nodded and excused himself from the kitchen to go up and take a nice, hot bath, to get the bacteria of the day off of his skin. He felt happy as he walked towards his room, for his life was finally starting to become clear to him and he allowed himself to hope for a better tomorrow for a change. Yet, deep inside his heart, the uneasy feeling that something bad was going to happen pretty soon didn't fail to disturb that wonderful picture his dreams were painting.

* * *

"So, you're telling me that I can't tag along no matter what?"

"It's not that you can't, but I won't allow you," Sasuke said, fixing his suit into place. "Your exams start next Monday, right? You have no time to go around playing with me."

"But…I don't want to be alone while you go off."

"And you won't be. Iruka had volunteered to remain with you at the house, so, you don't have to worry."

"Yeah…I know that, but…"

Sasuke glanced in the mirror at the blond sitting behind him; he allowed a smile to rest on his lips at the cute pout that Naruto was harbouring there. He finished tying his tie and turned with playful eyes at his roommate.

"You don't have to look all that devastated; it's only for three days. You have lasted months without me; can't you bear mere days?"

Naruto snorted and shifted the locks on his head with his hands, avoiding the frisky way Sasuke seemed to make his way towards him with. "I can last, don't flatter yourself too much, Teme. It's just I don't want to lose my ride to school."

"Hmm? Is that really it?"

"What's there except it?"

Sasuke pulled Naruto face up with his hands and smirked at the beautiful orbs that were trying their best to move away from him; his smirk could only deepen. "If that's the case, then I'll gladly leave my car in your hands, then you won't miss your ride so much."

Naruto's eyes widened at the declaration, and he verbalized his uncertainty. "Really? You're going to leave the BMW with me?"

"You should be cleaning your ears more carefully so I won't have to repeat myself every passing minute."

"Ass. I heard you loud and clear the first time around, but do you really mean that?"

Sasuke straightened his posture and nodded. "You just have to take a good care of it. If I find a single scratch on it, you're dead!"

"Umm…yeah…no need to worry, I'll treat it as an extension of my body!"

"Somehow, that doesn't leave me the slightest bit relaxed."

Naruto stuck his tongue out, swinging an arm to hit the raven with, only to have him slickly slip from his fist. "Jerk."

"And I love you, too. Now, Naruto, all jokes aside," Sasuke devoid his face from any traces of laughter and pulled a pair of serious orbs at Naruto. "I want you to be extra careful this time when I'll not be around in. the danger of something bad happening doesn't decrease just by the sheer fact that I'm not present. I will, of course, be leaving you a couple of guards to escort you to any place you wish to go to, but still, you shouldn't loosen your guard around anyone. And I repeat myself, anyone. They will do anything to hurt me, and will target the things close to me, and you have, against my consent, been added to their list. So, please, be on your toes."

Naruto rolled his eyes and stood up from the chair he was on just to break the electrical connection Sasuke was so put onto having, then said. "Okay, firstly, I'm not a thing, I'm a person. Secondly, no fucking guard is going to escort me anywhere, I'm not a child, and I'm perfectly capable of caring for my own ass, and thirdly, for the umpteenth time, Sasuke, STOP WORRYING! If they were really planning on doing something bad to me, they would have done so ages ago! So, stop being a mother hen because it highly doesn't suit you!"

"Because you're being like that, I worry." The raven replied, a frown marring his beautiful features. "Why can't you just promise to take care of yourself and accept the damn guards?"

"Because I won't live to see the light of tomorrow if I do. All my colleagues will be thinking I'm someone rich or some kind of a spoiled brat who can't fend for himself, which I'm neither. So, there's no need for bringing people to college with me to have unwanted rumours spread around about me."

"I'm still not buying it. Why do you care what people think of you, anyways?"

"I care because this is the real world we're living in, not some lovely TV drama or fictional story where you can go around doing everything you like without giving a damn about what others think."

"Well, I do it all the time."

"And look where it's gotten you, running around with enemies tailing your ass." Naruto declared frankly.

Sasuke scowled, taking the papers he needed from the files and placing them neatly into his bag. "I resent that comment. They're after my ass simply because they aren't capable enough to get my chair."

"And your personality doesn't aid in that matter either."

"I'm not going to change my personality just to suit their liking, I am who I am, take me as whole or go fuck yourself."

"Sometimes, the idea of fucking myself becomes extremely appealing to taking you as a whole."

And a deathly glare was all the answer that he's gotten, Naruto released a grin to respond to that.

"Anyhow, like I said, I'll be leaving you the guards and Iruka to see to your every need, so, don't feel embarrassed to ask them for anythi-"

"I swear, Sasuke, talking to you is like talking to a fricking wall! No, wait, a fricking wall would actually budge if I hit it with a hammer, but you won't! You're…you're…you're worse than a fricking wall! That's what you are!" The blond groaned out, interrupting Sasuke's words.

"…And," The raven continued as if he hadn't heard a thing, "do bear one thing in mind,"

Naruto sighed and contained the boiling sensation that made him believe that killing Sasuke right about this moment would not be considered a crime, and released out a frustrated, "What?!" as they started to leave their grand room.

"If anything bad is to happen to you these three days, the ones who will be punished are your guards. So, before you go off having stupid ideas about ditching them and running to some ditch by yourself, think of what will happen to them when you go missing."

"Oh, come on! What could you possibly punish them with? Deducting their salary or dismissing them?"

"I appreciate your cynicism, but it's neither. You'll find out that my family deals with a different type of punishment. And at times, it involves amputations."

Naruto raised a questionable brow at this. "Amputations? You're not serious. It's a damn job; you can't amputate people if they fail in a damn job."

"This job comes with strict instructions that they were given on day one. And each had signed his okay to it. So, I can do to them anything I see fit as a punishment. And if anything bad happens to you, even their death won't be a sufficient punishment."

At the dark aura surrounding Sasuke, Naruto knew he meant real business. In a disbelieving tone, he uttered. "That's totally not fair! You can't hold them responsible for something like that!"

"Of course I can. They get paid to protect you, they shouldn't fail their job."

"Sasuke, that's just plain cruel! They can't help it if I was injured because of my stupidity!"

"Well then, don't be stupid and get yourself injured."

Naruto sighed, knowing that this was a hopeless fight and the best way he could save his future guards was to agree to Sasuke's words and try as hard as possible not to get himself in anything serious…or stupid. His brain released a sigh when it was told to restrict its crazy thoughts into 'sane, normal-people-can-do, safe thoughts', Naruto groaned out.

"Fine! Have it your way! I'll live like a complete boring person 'til the day you come back!"

Sasuke released a smirk as he was handed in his coat from one of the males in black waiting by the front door. "That would be deeply appreciated."

"Stop talking as if you're some rich dude. Return back into your normal Sasuke-jerk-assed-self!"

"Oh, someone is having a fit."

"I'm not having shit, 'm just frustrated about the things you're forcing me to do." Naruto snorted out.

"I'm not forcing you to do anything. You have the choice to do anything you want to do, but you'll also have to hold the consequences when they come."

"See! You're not leaving me any option. You know perfectly well that I won't put others' lives in danger if I can help it, so you're grabbing me from the arm that hurts."

Sasuke put down his bag for a second and twirled around to the sulking blond. Ignoring the audience present; he put both his gloved hands on Naruto's cheeks and then connected their foreheads tenderly.

"…I just want you to stay safe. So, just be safe and hold yourself in check these three days. When I come back, I promise, I will take you to a place that you'll love very much."

"The astronomy club?"

"No, a better place. So, promise to lookout carefully for yourself."

At the deep worrying orbs facing him, Naruto released a surrendering sigh and gave a small smile to assure him, thinking that being looked at like something out of this world for a couple of days in college wasn't such a bad thing after all, maybe he could even benefit from it to a degree. He just tried to convince himself with that as the worry in Sasuke's eyes was only getting worse.

"Alright. I give in. Have it your way. I promise I won't do anything rash until you get here. Happy now?"

"Thrilled!"

"Good. Now, run along, your car awaits."

Sasuke nodded, taking his bag back into his protective hands then leaning forward to deliver a soft kiss of farewell to his roommate. To his surprise, Naruto's hands came crashing quickly at his lips, forbidding him that simple pleasurable act. His thin brow rose high in question, the blond started explaining, removing his hands away from Sasuke's lips slowly.

"You had your way with the guards' subject, but not with this. I know how much you like to kiss me, and that's why you won't. Consider it my payback for you forcing things on me."

Sasuke rolled his eyes as a smirk formed on his lips. "Naruto, seriously, sometimes your brain works in ways I can't even comprehend. If you will not allow me to kiss your lips, then I'll just have to substitutewith this…for now."

Before Naruto could pull his hand to object, a tender kiss was placed on his knuckles. He did though rip it away when the kiss was starting to turn into something naughtier including his long, slick fingers being twirled so sexily by Sasuke's heavenly lips.

Naruto coughed, trying to hide the blush that ran like wild fire across his face from the very amused raven. "Sasuke, you're just one big pile of annoyance, you know that?"

"See you on Monday, hun; try not to wreck the house while I'm away."

The blond only wiped the back of his hand and rolled his eyes. Closing the door behind Sasuke with a small wave to him and a whisper that went unheard to his ears to always take care of himself when he was away from him, Naruto clicked the door locked and allowed a moment for his body to consume the new information and process them. His eyes fell with a cloud of sudden sadness at being apart from the raven. But he'd never have it, Naruto shook his head and slapped his own cheeks, he wasn't some weakling who couldn't last a few days without Sasuke, God he wasn't! And he would enjoy these days the best he could and Sasuke's absence wouldn't affect him one tiny bit!

He swore to himself as he proceeded further inside the house, with generated hope circulating him like a made up aura of fake-happiness.

* * *

"Do you think I've changed?"

Gaara spared a look out of his new painting and raised one invisible brow, shaking the red locks that insisted on being too soft for their own good and sliding towards his forehead. "Changed?"

"Yes. It's just something that Sakura had said, she said that I have changed a few days back when we've met up for lunch…do you think I've changed?"

"I don't understand in which context you mean. But you don't appear to have changed to me. Do you think you've changed?"

"Umm…I don't know. I don't think so, but she wouldn'tjust say something that she didn't see. Still, I don't feel like I've changed or that there's anything that's wrong with me."

"Then there's probably nothing. She may just be reading too much into it, because you've been neglecting her in favour of Sasuke."

Naruto's brows furred together and he adjusted his seating. "No, Sakura wouldn'tsay it if she didn't sense it. And of course she won't feel something as pitiful as jealousy."

Gaara shrugged, returning back to his painting. "It's my opinion; nothing says it's the truth. Maybe this friend of yours is the only female in the universe that doesn't feel this pity feeling. And I would be delighted to meet her."

The blond ignored the sarcastic tone and said in a confident tenor. "Well, I know Sakura, and I'm not saying that she doesn't feel any jealousy, she is human, of course she does, I'm saying that she didn't say this out of jealousy."

"And we're back to square one. How about a change of subjects then? Would you like to come along with me tonight? A gallery is taking in a few of my works and showing them, it would be a good change of atmosphere for you, and your mind would be eased off."

"Hmm…I don't really mind, but Gaara, you have your works set up in galleries? That's so cool, man!"

"Cool? That is cool?"

Naruto blinked and before he could explain it to the redhead, two pairs of hands crushed on his shoulders in a strong pat. And as the scent of faint roses rose to cover his nostrils, he raised his head to come face to face with the playful gaze of his long haired Senpai.

"This person, Naru-chin, has no concept of what others regard as 'cool' and since his paintings have been shown since he was in high school, the feeling of it being something 'awesome' had died down."

Gaara fixed the brush in his fingers and said in a passive tone. "Why are you here?"

The black haired pulled his hands into folds above his chest and rolled his eyes. "Can't I be here?"

"No, you can't. I remember telling you last time that you're not welcome in here. Why are you here?"

"Just because I ruined some paintings of yours doesn't mean I can't enter for dear life inside your workshop."

"That's exactly what it means. Now, get out."

"Nope."

"Neji, please, I'm having a very calm day, don't stir it."

Neji walked slowly towards the painting male and leaned down with both his hands on his hips. "All of your days are calm; you need me to stir them. Or else, you'd be stuck here with lifeless paintings for the rest of your 'calm' life."

The redhead pulled his glasses of, revealing his lovely, deep jade orbs, andthen glared. "That would be alright with me."

"You really mean it? You want me to stay out of your life?"

"That what I've been saying from the first day you identified me."

The long haired male twirled around, pulling his hurt ego and started walking out of the workshop. "Alright! If that's what you want, suit yourself. If I'm such a bother to you, I'll vanish completely from your serene life. See if you can paint then!"

Naruto winced when the door was slammed behind the retreating male; he directed worried eyes towards the redhead. "Was that okay? Don't you need to go after him or something?"

Gaara turned around and placed his glasses back on to continue painting. "No need. He always does it."

"But…wasn't that a bit harsh? I bet he came here because he missed you."

"I know. But if he's here, I can't paint."

"Is it because he ruined your paintings?" Naruto asked quirking a brow.

"No. that's just an excuse. Neji…he is distracting. When he is around, I'm unable to focus on anything but him, which is bad since I need to finish this painting by tonight. If he'd remained here, I'll be swept up his pace and forget all about what I need to do."

"Hmmm…then, why not just tell him that? I bet he will be less mad…no, I think he might be very happy actually."

"That's why I didn't tell him. He'd begin grinning like a damn fox, which is very annoying. I'd take an angry Neji over a happy one anytime."

The blond released a sound laugh and the painter spared him a glance. "What's funny?"

"Nothing. I just think you're just running in circles. Don't you know that Neji-senpai loves you? I mean really, really loves you! Loves you to the extent of investigating anyone who comes near you! Heck! He practically worships you!"

Gaara placed his nonchalant mask on and Naruto could detect the hint of a smile on his statue-like features.

"…I know he loves me."

"Then? Do you love him back?"

"Remember when I told you I had this gay friend who had opened my eyes towards the world and how fun it was to live in it?"

"Yeah, I do."

"That was Neji, I just ne-"

"Neji-senpai is gay?!"

Gaara frowned at being interrupted but he had to correct the other. "Not just gay. He humps anything that moves. To him, gender doesn't matter, be it a girl, a guy, an animal, he doesn't care. I'm astonished you haven't heard about his sexual adventures from the people in the dorm or your college."

Naruto sheepishly rubbed his head. "Umm…I don't really mingle well with others, and the only rumours I have heard about him were that he was a demon, no one ever mentioned his sex life."

"I guess they can't. Neji would kill them had they done so. And I'm not kidding here, he would really do it. Impossible is a word unknown in his dictionary."

At those words, Naruto sweat-dropped. "Then I better not anger him with anything."

"Don't worry, he likes you. You're inside his 'trustworthy-very-tiny-circle-of-people-who-resemb le-friends'."

"Oh." Naruto blinked. "I didn't realize we've become friends."

"Yeah, it's hard to know what Neji thinks about."

"Not just Neji-senpai." Naruto muttered under his breath then dismissed his comment when he was asked if he'd said something. "Anyways, you know he loves you, what are you going to do about it?"

"Remain the status quo."

"Which means?"

"I'll do nothing. If he loves me, let him love me."

Naruto scowled at his friend. "That really doesn't sound fair."

"Not fair? Neji is comfortable, I'm comfortable. Isn't that fair?"

"No, it's not. If you have someone who loves you like Neji-senpai does, then it's really not fair to him to just remain passive about his feelings and just comply when he wants anything. You have to give him a clear answer, if you want to stay with him, then be it, or if you want to break this relationship you have and to just remain normal friends, then also be it. Because this is really unjust to him, you're facing him with half-assed feelings while he is putting all of his might into it. Totally unfair."

Gaara put the brush down from his hand and turned, giving the other his whole attention. "…Neji has never complained."

"I don't think Neji-senpai wishes to end it if you really don't feel anything for him, that's why he is satisfying himself with just being near you."

"But Neji always says when he doesn't like something."

Naruto hopped to the ground from the chair he was sitting on and said in a friendly tone. "You're very important to him. That's why he doesn't want to lose you, even if it means hurting himself in the meanwhile."

For the first time since he'd met the redhead, Naruto saw him truly in confusion. He's never believed that Gaara's face could turn to show a feeling such as this, but it did. And now his friend was unmistakably thinking over his relationship with the other. Naruto gave him a small smile and a pat on the head.

"Don't think too much about it, the answer in these cases tends to come to you, just relax and you'll know what to do."

Saying that, he started walking towards the door, leaving Gaara to switch his passive ways of thinking into more human-ones. And to seriously give the long haired male his share of well-deserved emotions.

* * *

Naruto closed his laptop screen and stretched his aching limbs. He looked at his watch and frowned at the time he'd taken to finish his illustrations. Three whole hours, it shouldn't have taken him all that time, but when you partake in a project with none other than Kiba for a partner, you tend to take up all work that needed intelligence and dealing with technology on your shoulders. He sighed, standing up and heading towards the door to go get himself something to bite on, seeing as how his stomach was complaining since an hour ago.

His mouth curved into a smile when he saw his father's friend sitting on the couch downstairs with a mug of black coffee that he could smell from upstairs held protectively in his bronzed hands.

"Hi." He greeted, coming close to the brunet. "You just came back?"

Iruka shook his head. "No, I came back a few hours ago, but you were busy inside your room and didn't notice me, so I didn't want to bother you. Finished up?"

"Yeah. It was a long one, but finally, I did. And I'm so damn hungry."

"Oh, yeah, wait here! I made something for you."

Naruto sat like a good boy and waited for his lunch to be served to him. This was the second day in which he was without Sasuke, and 'til now, his life was going alright without the dick. True, at times, he would be reminded that they were apart, but the next second, something would come up and he would put that thought to the back of his mind. Just like right now, he was starting to think of Sasuke, but then a very beautiful tray of food was placed in front of him, and all his thoughts turned towards shoving that beautiful food into his pit.

"Itadakimasu!"

"Hope you like it." Iruka said, retrieving his seat and his warm mug back in hand.

"It's dwishous!"

"I'm glad you feel that way. Now, Naruto-kun, have you heard anything from Sasuke-kun?"

Naruto swallowed his bite and shook his head. "Naruto is fine. And no, nothing. I did try to call him a few times but the line never seemed to hook. I don't think he's in a place with coverage, or Sasuke could be keeping his phone off all this time."

"I'm surprised you're not worried about him."

"Umm…I guess there's nothing that I need to worry about. Sasuke had told me that the line might not hook, so I shouldn't be worried. And true to his word, it didn't. How about Kakashi-san? Doesn't he answer your calls?"

Iruka took a deep sip from his coffee then answered. "Kakashi doesn't answer when he's on missions. I don't think he uses the same phone either. It's like he disappears from the face of the planet as if he's a ninja every time he goes on a mission, then reappears as if nothing has ever happened the next day."

"Yeah, I don't really understand this ANBU system they have," Naruto scowled. "It seems like some gang stuff to me. Sasuke said they vowed even their lives to him. Doesn't that sound just like a damn mafia or something?"

Iruka released a loud laugh at this, then straightened up to answer the ever confused blond. "They do, don't they? But it's nothing like that. Sasuke-kun's family is extremely respected and regarding their ANBU guards, those guards have the deepest loyalty to the Uchiha family, that's why they are ready to even lose their lives to guard them. I think this is what Sasuke-kun meant when he said that to you. It doesn't necessary mean that they're a mafia or anything like that. Their guards are just too loyal to them."

"But how? And why?"

"Those questions I'm afraid would be only answered by Kakashi, since he knows all the stories behind his ANBU boys. You're free to ask him when he comes back, but I doubt you'll get answers from him. Kakashi is very protective about his boys. He won't even share a single story about any of them with me."

"And I bet Sasuke is the same, right?"

"Hmm…Sasuke-kun might be different. He doesn't care much about things or people, but he cares a lot about you, I can see that, so maybe if you asked him, he'd tell you, since I believe you're the only person whom he doesn't hate."

Naruto grimaced at the words. "Iruka-sensei, Sasuke doesn't hate people. He just has a hard time adjusting to them, that's all."

"And I would like you to continue thinking about him in that light. Sasuke-kun is a good kid with a bad luck, that's how he'd turned out to his current fate."

"Current fate?"

"Yes. The fate of hating himself and those around him. You may not be able to see it right about now, but it's obvious to my eyes, Sasuke-kun is in a great war with his self. He hides it very well, but if you look at him strong enough you'd know. I've known him since he was a kid that's why I can see it clearly, how his soul is torn between his past and his future and how wavering he truly is."

Naruto put the spoon out of his hands and looked at his reflection on the dish, honestly, he could always detect the inconsistency within Sasuke, but he never thought it was his place to question the other or ask him about his past. Because he was still 'an intruder', he wasn't anything to Sasuke. Yes, he could remember the times they had together when they were both in the hospital, but that didn't give him any right to ask the other to reveal his past to him.

The blond released a sigh.

"I have tried it once, to ask about his past and have him open up to me, but Sasuke flat out refused. He said that I don't need to know about his frightening past or his sins."

The brunet mimicked Naruto's sigh with another one and replied. "He's still blaming himself for what happened. Yet, you shouldn't give up. I truly do believe you're the only one able to make him understand that there's no need to torment himself any longer. He didn't do anything wrong. I really wish for that child to understand this."

Naruto gave a genuine smile to the man sitting opposite of him and nodded with confidence. "Don't worry about it, Iruka-sensei, I promise, I'll make Sasuke forget whatever his past has him hurting inside, and one of these days, you're going to see him smiling with all of his teeth showing!"

The grin on Naruto's lips projected itself on the young teacher's lips and he gave the other male his utmost thanks.

"And I'd be looking forward to that day, Naruto."

* * *

Two pairs of blue orbs blinked in wonder and Naruto tilted his head as he was invited into a big, wide hall that was decorated with things he wouldn'teven be able to afford in his whole lifetime. He gulped the confusion and nervousness away and before he could open his mouth to release another set of screams like the ones he made in the car that had abducted his ass right out of the house, he was provided with a curt explanation.

"If you were to wait in here, Itachi-sama will be with you in a few minutes, and everything would be made clear to you."

Naruto frowned at the weak explanation, but helped himself to sit on one of the chairs. Honestly, his brain was full with nothing but bad scenarios including himself being mutilated and killed. These hideous thoughts had struck him the moment those foreign men came and drugged him into the car. By the time his senses had come back to him, he was sitting between them, confined with no obvious route of escape. Yet, the thing that was now bothering him to no end was, what would the guards that Sasuke had provided him with do now that he'd sneaked out of the house and managed to get himself into more deep shit?

He ignored the answer that had him sweat-dropping. Okay, so he'd promised Sasuke to stick with the guards, but he just wanted to go to the grocery and get himself some pudding. There was no need for four grown up men to walk him – a university student – all the way to the across-the-street grocery for some damn pudding. It was too damn embarrassing!

Who would have thought that the minute his legs reached the earth by himself, he would be abducted by unknown men? Naruto shrugged, it certainly wasn't him.

"Here we meet again."

His self-loathing turned towards the new male making his entrance through the vast hall and a snort escaped his lips. "You kidnapped me!"

"Well, kidnapping is an unfitting word; I prefer the term 'persuaded you to come here'."

"Hmph, you 'persuade' people by drugging them senseless?!"

"Would you have come any other way? I'm one hundred percent positive that my little brother marked you with one thousand guards, with specific orders to not allow you to go anywhere except your university and home."

Naruto scowled, not liking how sharp the person he was accompanying was. Even if the words he was speaking were dead true, he would still disregard his captivators if the long haired raven standing above him had asked like normal people would to come over.

"Still! This doesn't justify kidnapping me!"

"Alright. On some level, I agree with you. Therefore, I would like to apologize for my means of bringing you here, and about any harm my men may have done to you in the process. Would you accept my apology?"

Naruto sighed and gave the other a smile, having his anger evaporated by the kind approach. "Yes. That would do. Now, I know you know me, but we haven't been probably introduced yet. So, I'm going to go ahead and introduce myself. The name's Uzumaki Naruto, I'm Sasuke's roommate. Pleased to meet you."

"Oh, what a polite child you are. I remember when Sasuke was of the same politeness, such a long time ago." The fleeting smile was gone the second it came and Itachi continued. "As for myself, I'm pleased to make your acquaintance; I'm called Uchiha Itachi, Sasuke's big brother and sole guardian."

"Then, Uchiha-san, why bring me here?"

The raven shook his head at the question and explained. "Before we dive into such a heavy matter, let us have something to bite on, shall we?"

Naruto watched in awe as the beautiful male before him clapped his hands and four servants came inside rolling what appeared to be a tray-wheeler with three types of deserts that had his tongue run with drool. He wasn't one to eat anything like a damn pig, and there was also that distinct possibility that there could be something inside the food – Sasuke did warn him about his brother – but, at the sight of the three deserts, with such vivid colours and elegant design, calling for him, Naruto felt his willpower starts to decrease. Those desserts were just asking him to turn into a damn pig and annihilate all of them inside his tummy. So, when he was asked to help himself to them, he immediately disregarded his humanity and dug inlike a hungry fox.

Itachi watched with keen eyes as the other ate joyfully. His soft locks came to block his sight a few times but he was successful in returning them back to his hair in an elegant manner that didn't even show they were annoying him. Tea was brought in and the maids poured it, then excused themselves out. Itachi picked up his cup with style and took a sip.

"To why I have brought you here, truthfully, the reason is very insignificant, simple even. But it means a great deal to me. And since Sasuke himself is refusing me, I have no other way into knowing this except from the closest person to him at the moment, which is you."

Naruto looked up from his second dessert and asked the classy male. "If it's something I can help with, you're welcome to ask me."

"It's certainly something that you can help with. I want you to tell me about Sasuke. Everything about Sasuke. About how he's doing, how he's living his life and who he's facing right now. It may seem weird to you because we're brothers and I should already know all of this information, but Sasuke doesn't want me to get involved with his life, so I have but little to help him with."

"Can't you just ask him yourself? I mean, sure it's apparent that he's pissed at you, but can't you just do something to un-piss him? Like make up or something?"

"I'm afraid; it's already past 'making up' for us. Sasuke sees me as nothing but an object to hate, detest and hopefully, one day, get the power to overcome and annihilate, and I don't disagree with him."

Naruto scowled at this and shook his head. "I don't believe that's it, Sasuke is tough to handle, but I don't think he'd wish death on his own brother."

"It appears to me, from your speech that you still haven't learned about our past. And until you do, I don't believe you'll know the amount of hatred Sasuke harbours for me. And I don't blame him. It's I who has led the family to ruins, and he has every right to loathe me."

"But…that's just not right."

"Right or not, if by doing so he's able to lift himself up and become a better man, then let him hate me as much as he wants. I'm already used to it. Nonetheless, this wasn't the reason why I have brought you here**.**"

Naruto sighed and said. "You want to know his latest news."

"Of course, the news that my men weren't able to get. Somehow, I feel there's something wrong with Sasuke these days, but as I said earlier, he won't share his burdens with me so, you're my only way of knowing."

The blond let go of the spoon in hand and wiped the cream off of his face with the provided napkin. "If you want to know about Sasuke, then know this, he needs help. And if you want to give him that help, then do something about those damn people after his life!"

Itachi frowned, causing his beautiful features to change shape. "People after his life?"

"Yes. He said they were people he works with. Like the board or something…I don't really know since he didn't give me any information about them. But they want to take him down; they want to kill him and everyone close to him, that's why Sasuke had those guards around me."

"I had known that he was going up some funny crowd, but I didn't know it reached the phase of endangering his life."

"Well, it has. And if you really want to do something for him, help him get rid of them, he said that he is collecting some evidence to convict them right now, but I'm afraid he's only said that to make me less worried about him. Those people are really dangerous, and I'm afraid Sasuke might get hurt because of them."

"Are you sure about all of this?"

"Positive. The house we're in right now is a safe house; Sasuke had every corner of that house packed with guards. This is the real deal, those people are out to get him…and there's nothing I can do about it because I'm fricking weak!" The blond fisted his hands and bit his lip hard, remembering how worthless and powerless he truly was.

Cold hands came to pet him on his soft locks and Naruto had to nod his calmness to the other. Yet, the moment his eyes met with Itachi's, he knew, whatever those people had decided to do to hurt Sasuke was going down the drain, for the eyes that had looked back into his were icy cold. They weren't the eyes of a normal person, but a predator, a ruthless predator that knew no boundaries. For a second, Naruto felt like he'd just done something extremely foolish with his big mouth.

Itachi stood up, and said some words that chilled the blond to his chair in absolute fear.

"No one touches my baby brother."

And the only thing Naruto's mouth was able to release before the raven had so slickly disappeared from his sight was a faint.

"God…I fucked up…"

* * *

By the time he returned back home and was given a stern lecture from Iruka and the guards reasonable for him, Naruto was dead tired. He retreated to his room, trying to wipe the memory of those eyes and that coldness out of his head as best as he could. Still, he shivered for the umpteenth time that day. Who was that person? Sasuke's older brother? That person was scary, real scary. Naruto could sense his cells shiver at the threat he'd read inside the other's eyes. The power he was emitting was amazing; he was sure that if he'd done anything that would make Sasuke hurt or in any way endanger the raven, he would not be able to live to see tomorrow.

And he shivered again.

This was insane. This world that he had stepped into was insane. That person was insane. Why was he here? Why was he subjecting himself to such pressure? This wasn't his world, this 'eat or be eaten' world, wasn't his. This wasn't the life he wanted for himself. The laws of the universe were oblivious to that person, and deep down, he could feel that they were also oblivious to Sasuke.

Yes, Sasuke. Sasuke, the reason why he was here wasSasuke. He wanted to become close to Sasuke, to aid him and learn more about him. He couldn't withstand life without Sasuke. But…could he do it? Could he shoulder Sasuke's burdens and become his rock? Hazy blue orbs wobbled when he remembered the dark eyes and his hands quivered. How could he do that? When he was this scared by a mere look and was so pathetic, how could he help Sasuke out of this deep pit he was in?

Naruto buried his face deep into the pillows. He was warned, but he couldn't hear. He was too blind with the light of happiness to see the shadows and darkness lurking behind. Today, he was given a glimpse of what it was like to pour into another's world. He didn't like it. That darkness and pain, he was sure Sasuke held worse, and he couldn't stomach it, he was too weak for that.

The blond bit his lips until he drew blood. If he was someone this pitiful, he didn't deserve to stay one minute close to Sasuke. But…he couldn't just leave like that and dump Sasuke by himself. His selfish self was totally telling him to flee and escape from this world, there was no need to stick around and take another person's pains. He had enough with his own.

But…what would happen to Sasuke if he was gone?

Abruptly, the blond leapt down from the bed. He walked with strong steps out of his room, downstairs, towards the kitchen. Once there, he made to search inside the knives' drawer, trying to locate a big, sharp one that he thought would deliver the utmost pain to his nerves. And biting his inner gum, he brought it down on his left arm and watched as his flesh was horrifically cut in two.

With a sharp yell that broke through the walls, he scarred his left arm from the wrist until the elbow. Then quickly allowed the knife to fall out of hand when Iruka's shouting face came closer to try and stop his bleeding arm.

The only answer Iruka's screams had been given was a smile that broke through Naruto's inner doubts.

* * *

"You're truly unbelievable!" Sasuke said with a deep scowl masking his handsome features. "I leave for only three days, three fucking days! And when I come back, you're in the hospital after getting all emo and slashing yourself! ARE YOU A FUCKING MORON?!"

Naruto smiled sheepishly with an innocent grin. "Umm…you shouldn't be screaming so loudly at the hospital, Sasuke, the doctor will get mad at us."

"Read my lips, Dobe. I. Don't. Give. A flying. Fuck! I'll be screaming as much as I fucking want and let him try and fucking stop me! After you pulled that shitty stunt out, I'm allowed to do any fucking thing I want!"

The blond sighed and tried to hush the topic down. "Okay, Sasuke, I understand why you're pissed, but really, there's no need for you to be, I'm alright…sure 'm hurting like hell, but nonetheless alright. And I didn't goemo or anything like that, it's just…I had to do it."

"Just do answer me one simple question here," Sasuke said, trying to make his nerves relax.

Naruto nodded harmlessly. "Sure, what?"

"What on this fucking universe would have you cut at yourself?!"

"Umm…that question is very hard to answer, Sasuke."

"Try!"

"Well...if I must then I'd say it's like my head had too many answers for me to take, and I couldn't see past the loud voices. So, the only way to shush them up and see the truth was by inflecting pain on my body and have my senses clear up, which helped."

After his little explanation, Sasuke stared hard into the blue seas that refused to give him any deep explanations on the vague words Naruto had just said. Sasuke frowned and with tired eyes, released a loud sigh and raised his white flag of surrender.

"That's it. You've gone cookoo on me."

"No, I haven't." Naruto rolled his eyes. "I just wanted to make sure of something and I did. You don't have to look so worried about me, this cut is nothing big, will heal in two to three weeks or so."

"Right now, your mental health is more important to me than your physical health."

"Sasuke, I'm as sane as you. I just had a moment of confusion, that's all." Naruto shrugged his whole incident as something casual.

"So, just let me get this straight, every time you go and get yourself 'a moment of confusion', I should be expecting you to be slashing something in your body?"

"Of course not. Look, it's this, myself was having a conflict, on something really, really, really important. And I thought I was going to lose my head, that's why I did it. It won't happen again…I promise."

Sasuke sighed, massaging his aching temple. "Do you know how scared I was when I got home and Iruka said you're in the damn hospital?"

Naruto pouted. "But I didn't want to stay in the hospital in the first place! Even the doctor said there was no need after stitching me up! It's all Iruka-sensei's fault! He forced the doctor to have me spend the night and see if the wound will inflame or whatever…so, yeah, if you want to blame someone on scaring you half to death…blame him."

Sasuke rolled his eyes at the seven-year-old-resembling, idiotic adult before him and smacked him on the head. "The one who needs to be blamed is none other than your reckless self! Iruka did right into forcing you to stay here. I should be thanking him."

"Yeah, I know…" Naruto stuck a playful tongue out. "Anyways, tell me, how was your trip?"

Feeling like a change of topics was best right now, Sasuke answered. "Good. We had some setbacks but in the end, it all went according to the plan. And luckily, we were able to attain the things that we went there to get."

"That's great."

"Yeah, now, that's aside, how did you manage life without me? I already know it was so boring that you had to cut your own flesh to have some excitement."

"You're not thinking of allowing me to live this one down ever, are you?"

"Not if I can help it. It needs to be imprinted into that think head of yours that it's not okay to hurt yourself."

Naruto rolled his eyes and with his right, unharmed hand pulled the other by the collar. "How about you shut that sexy trap of yours with my lips right about now?"

Sasuke smirked, drawing closer. "The key word, sexy."

"Just shut up."

Their lips met in a kiss that had started soft and delicate, with Sasuke making extra attention not to put pressure on Naruto's injured arm, then turned into something steamy and hot. Sasuke was making sure to engrave all of the seconds, minutes, hours and days they'd spend apart onto Naruto's mouth and make the other know just how hard it was for him to be apart.

And from the intense way Naruto was pulling Sasuke on top of him with, on the comfortable hospital bed, the blond didn't miss him any less.

Suddenly, the door before them opened, with both of them oblivious to it. And it wasn't until the intruder nurse coughed to get the attention of the two males almost having sex on the hospital properties, that the two were jolted out of their own little heaven back to the real world. Naruto was the first to break the heated kiss and blush like a brand new tomato at the nurse standing beside the door with her face matching his in the redness.

"Um…e-excuse me, d-didn't mean to disturb y-you, but I need to c-change his bandages."

Sasuke nodded at her and got off of the bed, fixing his suit that was ruffled by Naruto's demanding hands, back into place. "Well then, Naruto, I'll come by in the evening to take you home. Until then, try not to get yourself in another load of crappy problems…I beg you."

The blond nodded, not sure that his mouth could be able to dispel words just around now and watched his hands keenly. Yet, before Sasuke could leave out of the door, he stole another kiss from the clearly embarrassed Naruto, causing the blond to curse at him under his breath. Sasuke just smirked and left with a quiet, "That's your punishment."

The nurse acted as if she had no eyes, no ears and no mouth whatsoever. She pretended to be a stone statue and walked inside –closing the door behind the hot male that sadly was more fascinated with penises than pussies– to start doing the job she was paid for. And in this midst of embarrassment, that was a very hard job to do.

* * *

"I can't believe you did something like that! Sasuke, I hate you! Do you know how embarrassed I was?! And she went and told all of her nurse-friends who came peeking at me every ten fricking minutes to see the new 'hot-gay-guy' in town! I was soooo fucking embarrassed!"

"And you deserve it. So, next time, when you decide it's okay to slash at yourself, remember this event. And know that I will do something even more vulgar next time. Like jerking you off in front of them."

Naruto snorted. "You'd totally be taken to the police for sexual offence!"

"Think twice, Dobe. I'm Uchiha Sasuke, the one and only. Do you think police will be able to confine me in a cell?"

Thinking on it, Naruto knew that there was no way in hell that their government was going to put any of the Uchiha brats in jail. He sighed. Sasuke was seriously being a jerk at times…but then again, he was only looking for his interest here.

"You know, they thought you were my boyfriend, and were asking all types of questions. Like how did I turn out gay? Or how do we live in a society that is prejudiced against us? Apparently, the nurses were all supportive of us, I had one that was really nice and cute, she said that her baby brother was gay, and that the kids at school really did give him a hard time. She said that it would really cheer him up when she tells him about us…us being the strong-willed, gay couple who aren't afraid to show the world they gave a fuck about one another."

Sasuke smirked at the sarcasm and replied with a tone that clearly told Naruto how much fun he was having. "So, I see you haven't corrected them."

"Sasuke." Naruto started with a glare. "Just what do you expect me to say? 'Oh, sorry, we're not strong-willed, gay couple who aren't afraid to show the world they gave a fuck about one another, and he ain't even my boyfriend, we're just normal friends who like to kiss around every now and then and indulge in the sexual drive. So, no worries, we're not gay, we're as straight as a damn arrow'!"

"Yeah, something like that would have been fine."

Naruto used his healthy hand to deliver a clearly pathetic punch that Sasuke didn't even consider dodging to him. "Fine for whom exactly?! Had I said it, I would have been marked as a complete pervert and those goddamn happy nurses would have killed me! It'd take being calling gay over being dead anytime!"

"So, you chose to live the lie."

"You forced me to live it! It's your fault, Teme! Don't act as if I brought this on myself!"

"But look, on the bright side," Sasuke started out with his smirk deepening. "You made yourself new friends, and enjoyed life as a healthy gay man for a day."

"Half a day, Ass. And I didn't enjoy it the least."

"Could have fooled me."

Naruto released a threatening aura and clenched his fists. "I swear it, Teme, the day I heal from this injury, is the last day you'll see the light."

"Yes, yes."

Sasuke dismissed the threat with a tiny smile and parked the car in his huge parking lot on the right side of his safe house. He ordered the blond to step down – now that they'd arrived – and put the alarm on his favourite automobile on, then made his way behind Naruto to the inside of their house. To the blond's happiness, Iruka and Kakashi were there alongside dinner. He was welcomed with a smack to the head and a hug inside then after washing up his hands, he came down for dinner. And Naruto's mouth couldn't stop from grinning like a happy little fox.

Dinner was filled with laughter, scolding and a lot of teasing, and the blond loved every minute of it. He smiled as his invitation to help clean the dishes was turned down with a minor scold that he should be resting his ass up instead of doing chores. Smiling apologetically to the man who was his father's friend, Naruto ascended up the stairs and into the room he shared with the raven. A few minutes after he came in, Sasuke followed, softly closing the door to their joint room behind him, and going over towards his closet.

"Naruto, I'm taking a bath. Do not sleep with that scent of the hospital on you, I hate it." The raven glared at the lazy blond sprayed on their bed.

"Oh…don't worry," Naruto started dismissing him with his healthy hand. "I will take mine after you."

At this, Sasuke stood in distress with his brows meeting. "And how exactly are you going to do that?"

"Eh? Like normal…?"

"You are one arm short. Taking a bath will not be as easy."

"No worries, I'll manage."

Sasuke sighed. "No, you won't since I'll be helping you with it, now come."

Naruto blinked, "Help me with it?"

"I mean, we're bathing together. Get your ass here, and I'm not taking 'no' as an answer, either."

"Sasuke," The blond started, rising to his feet. "I'd have no problem taking a bath with you _IF_ you knew how to keep your hands to yourself, which you still don't know how to. So, go on, I'll take my bath after you finish. And as I said, I'll manage. I'll cover my bandages with a plastic bag or anything alike and everything's fine."

"For a start, I'm perfectly able to keep my hands to myself. Have you been raped, sleeping next to me every night?"

"Well, no…but that doesn't mean I won't if I enter a bath with you."

"Look, you're not that much of a hunk that I can't keep my hands off of you. Stop being conceited. And secondly, you with plastic are a fire equation waiting to happen. And excuse me if I don't want my bathroom to catch on fire."

"Sasuke…I'm too tired for this. Just go take your bath and I'll take mine after. Or if you want to save up on time, I'll go downstairs to bathe in one of the thousands baths you have here. How does that sound?"

"Completely unacceptable!"

The blond sighed when he was being dragged by a stubborn Sasuke towards the bath, and being the tired being he was, he couldn't muster the will or the vocabulary needed to fight with a full-charged Sasuke. So, he allowed himself to be dragged, with the slightest warning that he was sure, fell on deaf ears.

"Arouse me and you're dead…no, touch me and you're dead!"

Sasuke smirked as he closed the bathroom door behind them. "Hai, hai."

Once inside, Naruto was gently pushed into the middle of the bath and helped out of his chloroform-filled clothes. He allowed Sasuke to help remove his shirt and pants, but when it was time for his boxers, he smacked the pale hands away and removed it by himself. His gut was just telling him that the raven wanted an opening in which he could touch his dick in, and hell if he was going to blindly give him such an opening.

"Hot, cold, or warm? What do you want?"

"Warm."

Sasuke nodded, adjusting the temperature of the water and the allowing it to fill his magnificent Jacuzzi. The first time Naruto had seen the beautiful art piece, his brain had gone mad! He'd loved Sasuke even more when he stepped inside it and all of his aches were taken in by the warm flow. There was also a plasma screen TV placed opposite of the Jacuzzi, so when one of his soccer games was on, he would just switch and sit inside the bathroom for hours to come. Yes, Sasuke really did have it all, even the perfect bathroom.

Naruto went to sit on the side of the Jacuzzi, waiting for it to fill with hot water. In the corner of his eyes, he could detect the silhouette of Sasuke disregarding his clothes. And as much as his eyes just wanted to turn around and gaze at the other, his pride was too much to have Sasuke's ego rise further than it should.

"Dobe, we have to bathe first, come over here."

Naruto turned around and a plastic bag was placed over his hand. He grinned. "I thought I wasn't trusted with plastic."

"You're not, but I am. Nothing wrong would happen when I'm around…hopefully."

After tightening the plastic bag over the bandages, in which Naruto had winced when he was forced to move his hand to a standing position, the two started walking towards the shower. Yet, before the blond could move a step inside it, Sasuke's hands stopped him.

"What?"

"Where do you think you're going?"

"To the shower…? You did say I need to wash up."

"I'll be the one washing you up. With that arm, the only thing you're doing is sitting your cute ass down and allow me to take care of you, for the day."

"Sasuke, stop it, I'm not a kid. I can wash myself!"

And his words again, fell on deaf ears. Naruto pouted when Sasuke brought the sponge and started scrubbing him. Okay, so he was standing – more like sitting – his ground, but oh lord! That sponge was heaven! It was like Sasuke had all the knowledge in the world about his aching muscles, and how to make him feel good! Without him knowing, his eyes closed up and he focused on the sensations running through his body, he shivered in delight when a knot on his shoulder blades was untangled.

"Ummm…Sasuke…you're really good at this."

The raven smirked at the moan. "Am I now?"

"Yes…very, very good."

Sasuke lowered his husky voice towards Naruto's ear and whispered. "Driving you to orgasm, yet?"

The nice dream Naruto had immersed himself in, was snapped just like that from his grasp and he was forced to awake to the embarrassing reality. He pushed the hand that was dangerously low away from him. With a faint blush on his cheeks.

"In your dreams, Teme!"

"Hn. Hide it as best as you can, Naru-chan, but you were waking up down there."

The blond rushed to cover his own cock before Sasuke would really start on molesting him, and the worst thing was, he was currently sexually frustrated because he didn't have any sexual act in a long time. So, in the state he was in, if Sasuke really did come at him hard, he would not be able to muster a power great enough to word him off…or in worst case scenario, he wouldn't want to word him off.

"Look, how about we make a deal?"

"You really love deals, don't you?"

Naruto ignored the question and continued. "You promise not to lay a hand on me, except for sponging me and I allow you to keep your teeth."

"How about I wash and jerk you off and you can just sit back and enjoy it?"

"Sasuke, is it that much fun to play with me?"

"The ultimate pleasure."

"Does it make you happy?"

"Would you let me fuck you if I said yes?"

Naruto snorted, rolling his eyes. "Nope. I would just be able to measure the level of your perversion."

"Then it makes me extremely happy. How much of a pervert am I?"

"A sick pervert that will not get an inch closer to my body!"

Sasuke released a snicker. "Dobe,"

"What?!"

Naruto's head was pulled up roughly and his lips were taken in by force in a strong, forceful kiss that he had no way into escaping from. Sasuke let go of the damp hair after getting his full from the blond's lips.

"You were saying?"

"Sasuke." Naruto wiped his mouth and raised the other the finger. "Fuck you!"

"You have a long way into achieving that goal, my lovely Dobe. Now, let's go…I still have to sponge your back before we can go into the Jacuzzi you love so much."

At the mentioning of his own little heaven, all signs of objections the blond was harbouring vanished into thin air, and his glaring orbs turned into sparkling ones and with happiness, he exposed his back for Sasuke to sponge. The raven just rolled his eyes at the animal before him that could only be led around by bait and his hands started working. But then a thought came knocking on his door.

If Naruto was an animal, then the one lusting over him would be?

Sasuke shook his head, ignoring the many lowlife adjectives that came to his mind to answer that little question of his. He forced his lust to sit down and behave to allow him the task of washing the blond up. Quickly, he finished with Naruto's back and allowed him the privacy to scrub at his own private areas himself. When the blond was covered with foam of soap, Sasuke started washing his own body. Taking little gaps of happiness when Naruto would be caught in a fight with himself on whether he should or shouldn't look.

"I'm done, let's wash up."

Naruto nodded and started walking towards the shower, this time, having no one stop him. He turned the shower head on and lukewarm water seeped over his aching extremities, relaxing them down. Not long, Sasuke allowed himself in. He turned the head towards him and smirked at the pout that decorated Naruto's features. Dangling his head back, the water fell so gently over the pale skin. Naruto gulped the sexy image off and turned his head to the side, trying to avoid a disaster that Sasuke was determined to embark on him.

"Get in here, Dobe!"

Naruto was yanked close to the raven and flinched when the water hit him again when he wasn't prepared for it. He felt the hands on his shoulder and the warmth behind him, but he refused to acknowledge it. He'd never give Sasuke that satisfaction.

"Sasuke, stop being so close, dammit!" Naruto pushed against the hard chest behind him and snorted. "Jesus! It's already hot enough without you adding up more heat!"

"Hn."

The raven backed off; giving Naruto the space he wanted. But he stayed close to him, watching with luscious eyes every curve in Naruto's body. Of course, the hungry gaze didn't go undetected to Naruto's conscious but again, he ignored it and focused on cleaning his body thoroughly. When he finished, he stepped out and went over to the Jacuzzi, leaving the place all for Sasuke to wash up in.

Five minutes later, a sparkling clean Sasuke splashed the water as he made himself comfortable opposite of him in the Jacuzzi. He eased his head back on the appropriate place and opened his dark orbs just in time to catch Naruto's eyes staring. He smirked.

"Don't let me stop you."

"Stop what?"

"Your little staring fit. You really do like to stare at me."

Okay, so he was caught red-handed, therefore, in his dictionary, there really was no need to continue on lying and being stubborn. He said with truth inside his glittering eyes. "Even if that was the truth, you're not annoyed or anything like that**.**"

"Far from it."

"So, no harm was done. Now lay back, close your eyes and allow me to get my full staring."

"I'm afraid I can't do that. After this little info I have known, I won't be able to keep my hands to myself."

Making his point clear, Sasuke swam the little distance separating them and straddled Naruto between him and the edge of the Jacuzzi.

"Sasuke," Naruto started off with a stern tone and glaring set of eyes. "If you're thinking of fucking me, then I will beat your ass to death!"

"Hmm…although the offer is extremely appealing to me, I don't think of it…yet. For now, I'll suffice myself with a little taste of your flesh."

And before Naruto could know what's what, he was taken by the hand and pulled into another one of Sasuke's sexual adventures where the only acceptable sounds he was allowed to resonate were his moans and groans as he fell into a bottomless pit of ecstasy. And he despised each and every minute of that adventure!

* * *

**I guess this is the longest chapter so far. Hope you enjoyed it enough to review lol. Thank you again for reading and I hope you're still following this story. **


	9. Chapter Nine

**Author's Notes:**

**Nothing really. Just thanks for still following me and reading this story, I love you more and more for it. Thanks to my Beta, XxDreaming of RealityxX, for her awesome work as always and I'll leave you to enjoy the rest of the story now :D ~**

* * *

"Everything is so fucked up!"

Naruto frowned at the male that had just come in with slumped shoulders and tired looking eyes. He closed his own papers, and got up to where Sasuke was sitting to see what had happened to him. Sitting next to the other male, Naruto spoke.

"What's wrong?"

"Better yet, what's not wrong?! Everything is so messed up, and I'm just tired of it all! I'd rather just die and get a rest from all of this shit!"

The blond put a soothing hand on Sasuke's back, assuring him that whatever had him this rattled was going to be solved pretty soon. "Is it something I can help with?"

"No, you can't. I can't. No one can! It's my entire stupid brother's fault! He had to butt his nose in and couldn't keep away from my business! It's always like this! He doesn't know when enough is damn enough!"

At the mentioning of the other's brother, Naruto felt something in him stir and**,** with worried orbs, he asked. "What did he do?"

Sasuke released a sigh, calming his burning nerves and voiced in a very annoyed tone. "He had all the people I had problems with dismissed. With three in the hospital for critical conditions, four with broken ribs, two in a coma and one who passed away this afternoon due to unreasonable burns, third degree or some shit like that."

Naruto felt his stomach turn into a dark pit. "What's that got to do with him?"

"Naruto, my brother knows no boundaries. When it's related to me, he doesn't even mind killing people. I understand it if he'd just dismissed them, but to go as far as hurting them and even causing one to actually die, this is too much. I hate this behaviour of his the most!"

"…Umm…why are you so sure it was him who did all of these things?"

"I know his print. Somehow, he found out I'm having problems with them and he gave the orders to have them sacked."

The blond fidgeted for a bit, knowing that all of this was his fault. He bit the inside of his gum and clenched his hands to form a fist with the silky sheets under him.

"S-Sasuke…there's something I need to tell you here…"

The pissed off male raised his head at the hesitant tone Naruto was using and raised a brow when his eyes met with Naruto's nervous ones. "What?"

"I…I was the one who'd told him."

Sasuke frowned not totally getting what his blond friend was talking about. "Come again?"

"Your brother…the one who told him about the people after you was me, but I didn't think he was going to do all of this to them. Actually, when I said it I only thought he was going to help you, because he said he'll help you…but after I had said it and he turned all dark with a murderous aura around him, I knew I did something bad…yet, there was no way to get the words I said back and then I was taken back home to ge-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Naruto! Just slow down for a bit," Sasuke halted the blabbering male to a stop. "What are you talking about?"

The blond scowled. "You seriously want me to repeat all of _that_?"

"No, idiot. What I meant was, when did you meet up with my brother?"

"Oh! The day when I was taken to the hospital in, three weeks ago, remember? He kinda took me to meet him that afternoon…don't worry he didn't do anything to me, in fact, he was quite hospitable…and everything went well."

"You are kidding me, right?!"

And Naruto prepared himself for the explosion that was bound to happen.

"I thought I made myself clear that you shouldn't go anywhere near him! And where the fuck were the guards I had appointed to you?!"

"Umm…Sasuke…please calm down. Firstly, I sneaked away from them so you shouldn't go around punishing them, it wasn't their fault. And secondly, nothing was done to me, your brother wasn't hostile or anything, he was very polite…except for his freakish over-protectiveness for you. But aside, he was very kind."

Cold, threatening eyes faced him and Naruto shut his trap. Maybe complimenting the other in the presence of Sasuke wasn't such a good idea after all.

"Why did you go to him? I told you he was bad news." Sasuke asked after his nerves had calmed down for the second time that day.

"Well, I didn't really have much choice in the matter. His men kinda took me to him…and again, he did nothing bad to me."

"The shit abducted you?!"

"It wasn't abduction per se, more like persuasion."

"So, you went with your own will?"

"Umm…not that either…"

"Then, he forced you?"

Naruto sweat-dropped at this, if he said 'yes', then he was sure Sasuke would declare war on his big brother, which was something he didn't want to have happen, their relationship was bad as it is, it didn't need him to make it any worse. Yet, if he said 'no', that would mean he had ignored the precise warnings Sasuke had made and gone to the source of Sasuke's troubles, which wasn't a very good answer also. A small part of him was asking why he shouldn't just say 'no' and start a fight with the dick about how he wasn't someone that he could boss around and let hell break loose…but again, his good side won, telling him that he really didn't want to get into a fight with Sasuke…

So he sighed and did the only thing he could do to get out of such a hard situation…beat around the bush.

"Okay, Sasuke…he didn't really force me, and I didn't really have a way to refuse, it was a mixture of both. Besides, as I see it, you shouldn't be mad really, because so far I don't see anything that doesn't benefit you from the stuff your brother has done. The nauseate you have been hiding from has vanished, and now you're safe. Excuse me for not feeling any sympathy for those criminals, they wanted you dead and they got what they deserve. If all, you should be happy."

Sasuke put his fingers on his temple and rubbed it. "…Naruto, you don't understand anything really."

The blond bit his lips at those words since they hit a nerve in him that he wanted to keep untouched. But they did, and he was feeling that sad, unwanted gush of emotions that reminded him of the fact that he really did know so little about Sasuke and his brother or their family. He had no idea where Sasuke's parents were, or even about the reason behind Sasuke's silence regarding them. Yes, when they had met, Sasuke did say some things about his mother, but he was always talking about her as if she wasn't around, or in a faraway place, a place he couldn't reach. So Naruto didn't know any solid truth about her. And he didn't push the subject much because every time 'family' would come up in a topic, Sasuke would grow very quiet. And Naruto didn't like to be the cause of that, so, he'd chosen to remain passive about it and allow Sasuke to feel no pressure to tell him anything.

Yet, this time it was different, he wasn't the same old teenager he once was, and Sasuke wasn't the same fragile kid he knew either. They both have grown, and being in the dark ceased to be okay right now.

"Sasuke," Naruto put his right hand on Sasuke's shoulder and pulled the other's attention back to him. "Make me understand. Tell me about your family, about your brother. I want to know. I want to know every burden you're hiding and I'll be able to take every single pain away from you."

Sasuke took a long, hard look into Naruto's shining orbs, and for a second, he was taken aback. Taken aback by the sincerity, trust, purity, honesty and faith that were circulating inside Naruto's beautiful, azure eyes. But what had him baffled was the strong will that showed in every bluish hue Naruto's orbs were emitting. With a tired set of black irises, Sasuke questioned.

"You really want to know?"

"Yes, I do."

"You'll be shocked."

"I don't mind."

"My past is a nightmare."

"Mine isn't far off, either." Naruto smiled with confidence.

Sasuke allowed his lips to give off a small smile then it fluttered into a serious mask. "Would you be able to take it?"

"Well then," The blond began, "You'll have to trust me on that, won't you?"

"…Okay then. If this is your answer, you'll have to hold all the consequences of knowing about my sins."

"I will."

Sasuke nodded, and with a deep sigh, started remembering the events of that one night that had killed off all of his hopes and dreams and any courage he ever had to turn out a decent human being with a bright future.

"I had it all – a beautiful, gentle mother, an assertive, stern-yet-gentle father and an intelligent elder brother whom I took pride in being related to. My family was known in every industry as the leader, Itachi and I were given high expectations to live by, and we never failed those expectations. We were given privileges, happiness and trust also, so that was the happiest time of my life, and I had so foolishly thought that it was always going to be like that."

Naruto moved closer to the other male as he sensed him get a little tense and gave him a smile, assuring him that everything will be alright, and that they're together now. Sasuke nodded and continued.

"That night, I had woken up searching for water. I went downstairs and made the mistake of going through the garden to reach the kitchen. Our villa was very complicated and we had many rooms and halls, to cut it short, we had many paths to reach one of the kitchens; the closest to my room was to the northern side. And I wanted to pass through our little garden since it was such a lovely night. The mistake I made was to let the door open after I went inside, and that's when everything ended."

"What do you mean ended?"

"There was a group of thieves. They were after the safe in which my father had kept deals of his in, apparently, they wanted to overthrow my father off of his seat and appoint someone else in. The papers in that safe were important to get that deal done. And I had handed them that deal with open arms. So, while I was drinking my water in the kitchen, they had gone inside the house and somehow were able to get to my father's study. The guards found out about them, and then war had begun. From where I was, I could only hear gunshots, and somehow, a fire had started." Sasuke took a deep breath, fighting his demons. "Somewhere along the line, my mother came down to see what was wrong; she was hit by a stray bullet and died on the spot. My father wasn't as lucky…no, I should say he had the same luck since he died inhaling the deadly fumes coming from the wildly spreading fire. All this time, I was cooped in the kitchen, afraid to release a word as my whole world shattered because of me."

"Sasuke…I'm so sorry." Naruto brought his hands and gave the raven a hug to help him with the hard memories he was trying to conjure.

"There's no need for you to apologize, it was my fault. Had I closed that door behind me, nothing would have happened. And everything would be alright. But I didn't and that's a sin I'll have to pay for, for the rest of my life."

Naruto didn't know what to say to that, because deep down, he felt the same way Sasuke did. He was the reason for his father's death and he was going to live his life with that weight on his heart, to remember his own sins well. The only thing he was able to do was tighten his hold on Sasuke and have the other understand silently how much he wished to own the right words to say to him.

"It's alright, Naruto. You don't have to force yourself. It's alright."

The blond nodded, still keeping his hold on Sasuke.

"Well, to continue the story, after that night, I had learned that the person who had sent those men was no one other than my own big brother, Itachi. The person, whom I have been looking up to all of these years, was the one who'd destroyed everything precious to me. It had actually all made sense, how those criminals knew our house so well, how they were able to detect where my mother and father were and why I wasn't hurt. It all fell into place like that."

"How did you know it was your big brother?"

"One of the guards saw him as he was conversing with them; he told me everything about it."

"And you just believed him?"

"No. I did my own research and was able to catch one of the criminals. After I tortured his ass up, he spilled everything to me, and it turned out like the guard had said, Itachi was the one behind it all."

Naruto allowed his features to release a scowl. "But…somehow, it doesn't make sense to me."

"What doesn't make sense?"

"What you had just said about him. What I sensed when I met him was that he truly holds nothing but good will towards you, and he doesn't appear like a bad person. Actually, I didn't sense any hostility coming from him either, and I can't believe he would just kill his own parents with cold blood to get power…these qualities don't fit the person I have met."

Sasuke removed the pairs of hands hugging him away and stood up, "He had just played you like he did everyone else. Ask me, I know him best. When Itachi wants something from someone he can turn into the most charming person on the face of the planet."

"Umm…still, I don't buy this..."

The raven released a huge sigh and rolled his eyes at his idiotic friend. "Look here, Naruto, I don't care what he'd said to get you to be on his side, but you have to believe me when I tell you this, the douchebag is lying to you! All that he cares about is destroying me! He hates me! That's the only thing that's real in him!"

Naruto's scowl deepened and he shook his head. "Sasuke, no, that's just wrong. I have no idea where you've gotten that idea from, but your big brother doesn't hate you, yes, he has a tremendously frightening overprotective desire over you, but he doesn't hate you. I even believe that in a weird sense, he loves you."

"Loves me? Okay, that's it! You've officially fallen under his spell!"

"No, I haven't. I'm just seeing things in a different prospective, as you should, too."

"Naruto, didn't you hear me?! He killed both of our parents! Even if he doesn't hate me, I sure as fuck do!"

"That information you got from a guard and the criminal who's killed your parents. Didn't you think they were the ones lying to you?"

"No, I didn't; because there was no need for them to do so."

"For a smart person, you're coming off really stupid now Sasuke," Naruto said folding his arms over his chest. "You yourself said that you have many enemies, and it won't be a surprise that the criminal you caught and the guard were lying to separate you from your brother. Have you checked the background of the guard or the criminal before you believed their words?"

"They have no good reason to lie to me, firstly, the guard will not dare do it, and the criminal was more interested in saving his own ass to lie and get himself killed. Besides, Itachi didn't deny it when I confronted him. He just sat idly and smirked, the whole time. Now, you tell me, if he really wasn't the one who'd ordered the hit on my parents, why didn't he defend himself?!"

The blond thought about this for a minute, and his features settled to a frown. "He didn't?"

"No, he didn't. He was calmly accepting the accusations, with no will to fight back at all."

"Well, I have an opinion about this…from the things you've told me; I'd say you two were close, right?"

"…Yeah?"

"Hmm…how about him being in shock then? If the little brother I love very much came to me one day, accusing me of killing both of our parents, of course I'd be too shocked to say anything or even defend myself. Actually, I'd feel more pissed than anything that he would think something like that of me."

"You really weren't listening. Dobe, I said he wasn't even fighting, he was happy, with a smirk on his face all the damn time! Even when I had begged him to give me one excuse, one reason to not believe those words, he refused and his only words were for me to get stronger! If that wasn't a confession to what he's done, I don't know what would be anymore!"

Naruto sighed, unable to come up with excuses to Sasuke's elder brother's behaviour anymore and shook his head. "This is very complicated, Sasuke. But even so, I have a hunch that your big bro is innocent here, and you're just misunderstanding him."

"You stay with that hunch of yours and I'll follow the facts in front of me. But just make sure you don't go near him ever again!"

The blond sweat-dropped as a sheepish smile came to residue on his lips. "Yeah, will make sure of it…"

With that Sasuke was satisfied and started moving towards the door of the bathroom, probably thinking of cooling his head a little, yet before he could turn the knob in, he glanced back to the blond with linked dark brows.

"Say, Naruto, you told me the day you met with Itachi was on the same day you were taken to the hospital?"

Innocently, the blond nodded. "Yes, what of it?"

And then all hell broke loose as Sasuke's eyes turned pitch black and Naruto was forced to go and control the unleashed beast before the older Uchiha turned out dead in some pit somewhere with Sasuke behind bars for murdering him.

"What the fuck did that shit do to you?!"

* * *

"What should I do, Iruka-sensei? Sasuke is really pissed this time. He even kicked me out of the room…I have to sleep in another room three halls away…" Naruto slumped at the table with a pair of crying eyes.

Iruka sweat-dropped at the whining child and offered him a hot mug of honey-coated hot chocolate. "Don't worry, I'm sure he'll stop being mad after a while."

"No, he won't," Naruto raised his head at the nice aroma. "You have no idea how stubborn he is! This is the second day and he's still giving me the silent treatment."

"Well, no one told you to go berserk on yourself like that."

"Buuuuut, it was the only thing I could do. There was no other way."

"Naruto, if there's anything I have learnt in this life, it's that there's always another way. You just were too dumb to find it."

Naruto slumped back again on the table in desperation. He'd come to know that when the older brunet was mad or annoyed at someone, he'd drop all the honorifics and on some level become rude towards that person. And at the moment, he was the person Iruka felt annoyed with. A stray tear found its way out of his eyes.

"But Sasuke isn't mad about that, he's pissed because I did that and met up with his big bro. I've tried everything I can but it's not helping, Sasuke's head is made of stone!"

"Hmm, how about sucking up to him then?"

"Doesn't work."

"You've tried it?"

Naruto nodded with a sigh. "Like the first two hours."

Iruka wanted to comment on how little pride Naruto was harbouring but decided against it, since it would put them into an unwanted awkward situation, not to mention how he didn't wish to fight with the younger male now that they'd gotten on good terms.

"Okay, why not do something nice to him then?"

"Define nice?"

"Umm…for example, do something that he wants you to do, like buying him something that he totally needs, or making him something…anything that he would consider nice, and be careful here, Naruto, the concept of 'what's nice' differs with people. Maybe what I would consider nice, he would consider rude. So, you have to first find out what he considers 'nice' and then proceed with it."

"With all due respect," the blond released with a sigh, "that sounds like a lot of work. He doesn't even talk to me these days, how am I going to know what he thinks as _'nice'_? And even if I did, what if he said he wants something like riding on NASA or visiting a country? I have no money for that shit nor the connections."

"I don't think Sasuke-kun is that shallow. But it was a thought. You can always just ignore him or beg his forgiveness until he's satisfied."

"He'd never be satisfied, I know it! He'd take joy in having me beg!" Naruto groaned his agony.

"Who would take joy in having you beg?"

Kakashi walked into the living room, munching happily on a red, ripped apple. He bent close to Iruka and gave the brunet a kiss on the cheek, a kiss on which Naruto had chosen to look past.

"Sasuke. He is acting like a total dick just because I met up with his brother then injured myself."

The silver haired male raised a fine brow. "You've met up with Itachi?"

"Why does everyone is this fricking house have a hearing problem when it comes to him?! Yes, for God knows what time, yes! I met up with Uchiha Itachi and regardless of what all of you might think, he did nothing to me! He was kind and very hospitable!"

Naruto was flicked skilfully on the forehead. "Kid, I haven't said a word. That question was a rhetorical one; you didn't need to answer it. And I have perfect hearing. Plus, I know that Itachi wouldn't hurt you, since he has no reason to. So, next time, hear before you jump into conclusions about people."

The blond nursed his hurt temple and stuck his tongue out in the direction of the older bodyguard. "Then tell that to Sasuke. For a dumb reason he thinks that his older brother is nothing but a criminal."

"You know what this dumb reason is?"

"Yes. And I know it can't be true. Sasuke didn't even bother seeking the truth fully; he just got a lie and believed it. Didn't put much effort into backing up and believing his brother if you'd asked me."

To this, Kakashi pulled himself a chair and sat down instead of just standing like a light pulp. "So, you know about the whole story?"

Naruto looked up towards a serious looking black eye and nodded. "Sasuke told me before we got into the fight. But I can't accept it. The person I have met and the person Sasuke thinks his brother is are two different people."

Kakashi gave off a tiny smile. "I think so, too. Itachi is sure a freak when it comes to Sasuke, but he isn't a murderer, especially not a cold-blooded one who is able to sack off his own parents without a sweat. But sadly, Sasuke had lived most of his life with this impression of his brother; even if he was told the truth about him now, I don't think it'd make any difference since he already believes that Itachi was the one responsible for the death of their parents."

"Wait, so you're saying that the one who's killed them really wasn't Itachi-san?"

"Yes, that's exactly it. To tell you the truth, the death of Mr. and Mrs. Uchiha was a total accident. The bullet that came towards Mrs. Uchiha was a stray one and that day, Mr. Uchiha wasn't supposed to be in, he came back late and went straight to bed, so no one had information that he was inside the house, and thus he'd died from those deadly fumes. A total accident. The ones who'd crashed the house were yes wrong in doing it, but their intention was robbery, not killing the Uchiha heads. Every little detail we have collected backed up that theory yet, sadly, Sasuke**,** he-"

"Doesn't believe that."

"Exactly. He wants someone to put the blame on, and because it would be too hard to live his life without thinking that because he'd left that door open his parents died, Itachi allowed him an escape. And that escape was to put all the blame on him."

Naruto frowned his brows. "But that's not good. Sasuke is still blaming himself, and with it hating his brother. It's not right to allow him to live his life like this."

"My thoughts exactly. But it's Itachi's will. He wants to shoulder his brother's burdens, even if that meant to be viewed as a killer in his eyes."

"Then how about the person who'd sent the men to rob? Didn't you look into that?"

Kakashi nodded. "We did. And we caught him. Some lowlife CEO who wanted to take over the work, and we even learned how he got inside the house. Apparently, he made acquaintance with the architecture who'd designed the Villa, so he basically knew every crook and corner of that house, and actually, even if Sasuke didn't leave that door open, they would have found a different hole to crawl in with. Sasuke leaving the door open was just their luck smiling at them."

"Have you told this to Sasuke?"

The silver haired bodyguard threw what was left of his apple into the trashcan nearby and shook his head. "We were under specific orders as not to tell this to him."

"Orders from Itachi-san?"

"Correct."

Naruto elicited a loud sigh as a snort escaped his lips. "If you asked me, the two of them are just a bunch of fools. And they need to be taught a lesson."

"And you'll be the one to teach them that lesson?" Kakashi inquired, raising a brow at the confident mechanic.

Standing up with his mug in hand, the blond replied. "I might just be."

Iruka sighed, watching his lovely kid walk out of the room after excusing himself from their company. He smiled when his head was petted softly by Kakashi's large hand.

"Relax…nothing's going to happen to him."

The brunet's smile shot up, and he nodded. "I know, because you're going to make sure of that."

"You got that right. Now, go get changed, there's a place we need to be in right now."

"Oh? And where would that be?"

"You'll find out when we get there. So hurry up, we're running out of time."

Iruka sighed again and got up, heading towards the room assigned to him for the time being. "Let's see what you're cooking this time, Kakashi."

The silver haired smirked at this and whispered. "Something delicious, I assure you."

* * *

Jade orbs watched keenly while a blushing, cute girl turned even redder as she poured her aching heart's content to the raven standing beside her. The owner of such godly orbs observed well the events playing before him, it was pretty simple really, a normal scene one would call it, and it could even be called sinfully poetic scene. A girl confessing her undying love to the guy she adored. Yes, it was a scene that might bring on good or bad memories, and to some, it was a scene out of a love story they read when they were still interested in Manga or Comics. But to him, this scene was nothing but annoying.

Gaara turned the volume up so he wouldn't be able to hear the words, and to a normal human being, they couldn't possibly be able to hear a conversation rolling on the other side of the damn huge garden, but he had good ears. And damn good eyes too, with a stupid ability he had of perfect lip-reading. The jade eyed male allowed his invisible eyebrows to meet up in a frown respectfully, and the reason was the answer the male had given to the blushing female. Yes, curse to hell his 'reading lips' ability.

Quickly, his face turned back to normal as the two, now a happy couple, moved towards him. He gave a passive nod to his roommate and allowed the other a minute to escort the girl out of their dorm and return back to him. Gaara pulled one ear down to be able to hear the other's voice.

"I got myself a date."

"I saw."

"Her name is Aya. Apparently, she was crushing over me since first year college, but because of her shy, timid personality, she couldn't muster any courage 'til her friends made her do it today."

"And you agreed because it's fun." Gaara added in a matter of a fact.

"That and she was cute. There's no need to break her heart when she approached me regardless of all the nasty rumours circulating around me."

Gaara gave the other a look then turned his back to him and pulled the hat covering his flaming locks away. "Just make sure to come home tonight."

"I'm not coming back. Tonight, I will be having sex with her."

"…"

Neji waited, for any reaction to come, but as usual, none did and the back he was always looking at remained turned to him. He forced the beast inside him to calm down as he continued.

"I'll break her. I'll watch her scream in agony as I thrust deep inside her; she looks like a virgin, so I'll enjoy myself with her cries. Sweetly, I'll rape her. The charming smile she gave off today, I'll make her regret it. With every cell in her body, I'll make her loathe the self that made her do the mistake of attaching herself with a word of love directed to me. And all the time I'll be fucking her pathetic body, I'll be thinking of you."

"…Do whatever you want."

"You don't care, do you? If it doesn't concern you, you don't give a damn, not about her, me or anyone else. You just don't give a flying fuck."

"You're right, I don't."

Neji fisted his hands beside his sides, and spoke. "Then, as I said, don't expect me to come today, not tomorrow either; I'll shut myself with her this upcoming week. I have no lectures, and I don't think she'll object if I said I want to take her cute ass on a trip."

The raven made a notion to start walking off, to leave behind everything that made his heart darken with frustration and just fade away inside his protective shell; yet, before he could get a step out of the garden and into the hall, his pale, right hand was grabbed and he was turned roughly into cool jade orbs. Gaara calmly released out.

"I don't because I know that the person who loves me would never do something like that."

Neji was startled by the words, and they kept him staring. The beautiful greenery he loved was shining at him, and regardless of how dirty he knew he was, inside of them, a pure reflection of himself had remained. He bit his lip, yanking his hand free from the other and replied with a tone that betrayed the self-control he was helplessly trying to invoke on his voice.

"…You…where do you go off talking like that? I will do whatever I want! You don't know anything about me!"

"Don't be late coming home tonight, I will be waiting."

And with that, Gaara plugged in his headphones and continued his way towards their joint room, leaving behind a confused Neji who fisted his hold onto his hand that was just grabbed by Gaara, and turned to the opposite direction with his beautiful, silky, dark hair covering his eyes.

"Fuck…"

* * *

"Are you sure about this?" Sakura said with her hands folded above her chest. "I mean, you were all about sticking by your prince charming and all, why move out now?"

"Well, the danger on his life is over, and I think this is the perfect time to separate myself from him."

"Separate? Why?"

"Umm…there's no real reason, I just feel that we need to be apart. Sasuke and I have been spending too much time together and it's upsetting him."

Sakura raised a fine brow as she helped Naruto into his old room in the dorm. "Upset him? Okay, stop. This is just too fricking sudden. You call me out of the blue to come and meet you and when we meet you tell me this shit about wanting to move back to your old dorm because he thinks you're upsetting him?! Even for you, that's low. Where did your screwed up pride go?!"

Naruto gave her a smile and clicked open his old room. "Nowhere. And he didn't say I was upsetting him, I sensed it. I've been beside him for a while now and even I think I'm losing a part of myself, let alone him. So, I have to return to a zone where I'm comfortable with myself then."

"So, you weren't comfortable with yourself at his place?"

"Umm…no, I was. But I'm searching for a different type of comfort. Do you get me?"

Sakura sighed and opened the lights to the dim room once inside. "No, you're using your messed up logic with me again and I don't like it…but, if you want my help, I'll give it to you without any more questions."

"Thank you, Sakura. That's why I called you."

She nodded and ran her index finger over one of the tables presented in the room; immediately, her face gave off a frown. "Hmm…judging from the dirt covering this whole dump, that wasn't the only reason why you'd called."

The blond laughed sheepishly as he closed the door shut and moved inside with his bag in tow. "Yeah…I figured four hands are better than two. The room hadn't been cleaned for a while now, and I know how much you like to clean, so…" He trailed off with a grin.

"Firstly, I don't like to clean; I like to live in a hygienic environment thank you very much, so stop trying to make me appear as a clean-freak. I'm not! Secondly, Naruto, are you sure about all of this? Did you at least tell him you were leaving?"

"For someone who wants me to stay away from Sasuke, you're asking a lot of questions about why I did it."

"Well, even if I hate the dick, I love you. You're my best friend, and I'd hate to see you regretting a decision you've made."

"Sakura...I won't regret it; because it's not like I've separated from him for eternity to regret it. I just want some space, to think. Believe me, at times like these, it's best to stay away from each other."

"Times like these…? You mean times when you're upset with each other?"

Naruto gave his best friend another slick grin. "Didn't we say no questions?"

And she responded with a roll to her stunning, green eyes. "Alright, I'll stop prying after you answer me this one. Did you tell him you were leaving?"

He sighed and warned. "And no other questions after it?"

"Yep! None!"

"Then no, I didn't. But he knows." When a question mark appeared on her face, he clarified. "Sasuke has me tagged."

"Tagged? As being stalked? He stalks you?"

"No. hmm…well, it can be considered as stalking but it's not the same. Well, it's not the same to me, because I know the only reason why he's doing it is because he's worried about me. So, in that sense it's okay to tail me."

"There's nothing okay with stalking you!"

"Technically, he doesn't stalk me himself, but has his men do it."

"It doesn't matter, stalking is stalking."

"They don't precisely stalk me per se; they just…umm…guard me."

"Against what exactly? Didn't you say there's no danger anymore?"

"Well, yeah…but Sasuke just wants me safe. In his world, there's no such thing as 'no danger'."

Sakura released a loud sigh and slumped on Naruto's dusty waterbed. "I honestly wish you hadn't told me that. Now, I won't stop worrying!"

He gave her a pat on the shoulder and smiled. "Sorry…but really, right now there's no danger. Sasuke is extra worrying, and you don't need to mimic him. I'm fine, there's nothing for you to stress about."

"Alright!" The pink haired girl exclaimed, standing on her high heels after she took a long, hard look into Naruto's blue orbs. "That's it! We are so going out tonight! You, me and our old friends! We're going to fucking party and you're going to forget everything about this dangerous life you've been ditched into!"

Naruto wanted to argue with her that it wasn't the time and he was tired with school the next morning, but she wouldn't have it. So, better than being dragged out with his casual clothes, Naruto insisted to change first then allowed her to drag him out like a good boy. Luckily for him, he stumbled across Gaara and with pleading orbs, begged the redhead to accompany them. Sakura rejoiced at the increase in the crowd and made to call her friends out whilst putting in her head that this was going to be one of the biggest nights of her and the her best friend's lives.

As they stepped out of the dorm's door and into her red, shining car, she made a pact with herself to make Naruto forget even the name of his old, fricking roommate!

* * *

Naruto sheepishly smiled when he was given the microphone to sing and declined, saying that his voice wasn't made to be heard and, fortunately, Sakura sensed his discomfort and took the microphone from Ino's hands and started singing herself, pulling her long haired, blonde friend to sing along.

"I swear to God, this is nothing but a loud of trouble."

The new guy Naruto had met, named Shikamaru, said. Naruto nodded to him. Apparently, he and Ino were tight. The blond remembered seeing him once with the blond haired girl, but he never got the chance to talk to him, yet, from the words he was hearing about the other, this Shikamaru person had to be some genius or something.

"Hn." Was Gaara's simple reply as he watched the girls before him go crazy with the lyrics.

"It amazes me really how much they get the words out wrong when it's written right in front of them." Choji, another person Naruto had come to meet, said, earning himself a smack from the Chinese girl sitting with them, named Tenten.

"Shut it! At least they're singing." She shouted at the somewhat fat male, defending her two friends on stage.

"So, Uzumaki was it?" Shikamaru began, directing his attention to the male that he had so little info on.

Naruto smiled and nodded. "Naruto is fine."

"Well then, Shikamaru is fine. You study in Konoha Uni. mechanics major, right?"

"Yeah."

"There's a duo, no, a trio, Kiba, Shino and a lovely, quiet girl named Hinata, have you heard of them?"

The blond's face lit up at the mentioning of his three friends and he nodded happily. "Yes, they're my friends. Why? Do you know them?"

"We went to the same high school together, alongside him," He pointed a finger towards Gaara who ignored it and continued sipping his drink. "Him, him," and a finger towards Choji and Lee who had so suddenly joined their little party without Naruto paying any attention. "And her." He finished with Tenten who waved a friendly hand towards Naruto. He returned the greeting.

"Oh. Wow. So, I'm the only outsider here?" He asked with a smile.

"No," Gaara made his presence known. "Pink haired girl over there and long haired blonde are with you, too."

"You're still as unpleasant as ever," Choji said. "And where's your keeper? You were always glued together like some Siamese twins or something."

"Hn. I don't answer to pigs."

"What did you just say?!"

"Didn't you hear me the first time around? Oh right, sorry animal, I had totally forgotten that pigs have zero hearing capacity. I said, I. Don't. Answer. To. Pigs." Gaara flat out replied with a pair of challenging green eyes.

"You fucking retard! You're so going to get it!"

The heavy male made a notion to punch Gaara's face in but was stopped by a calm Shikamaru as he threw an empty bottle at his head, warning him. "Calm down, idiot. You brought it on yourself, no one told you to run your big mouth the first time around. Besides, you won't win even if you start a fight in here; remember what had happened back at school the day you and dumbass Kiba decided to hunt him?" At the grimace that discoloured Choji's face, the spiked male continued. "See? Not a pleasant one, so calm your silly nerves down and don't disturb this fun night."

The brunet 'tsk'ed and got back to his chair, holding his beer tightly in hand. "Don't you think I'm letting you off because I'm afraid of you, shit I can smash your pretty boy face to a stinking wall in a sec! I'm only doing it as not to trash Ino's evening after all the hard work she poured in it!"

"'Atta boy." Shikamaru encouraged, relaxing the air.

Gaara just 'hn'ed and acted his old passive self.

Trying to regain the cool atmosphere and not have the new male he was introduced to start a fight with the provocative Gaara, Naruto opened his mouth and started saying. "Um…Shikamaru, you said you knew Kiba, Shino and Hinata from school, so, does that mean you also know Neji-senpai?"

For a minute, Shikamaru shared a look with Gaara, and when the redhead nodded, Shikamaru answered. "Yes. He was in a sense, the king of school. Had it all, the looks, the cash and the intelligence. Teachers and girls loved him, guys wanted to be him. So, he had enemies…and _some_ friends."

"Was Uchiha Sasuke one of his friends?"

"Hmm, you know Uchiha Sasuke, as well?"

"Y-Yeah, I met him."

"Well, they were. Actually, it was Uchiha, Hyuuga and redhead over here that were the talk of school. Uchiha controlled the sports side, Hyuuga controlled the intellect side and redhead controlled the badass-bad-boy side."

Naruto sweat-dropped. "For a person who sounds troubled by all of this, you surely know a lot about them."

Shikamaru answered, looking at his long haired, blond friend dancing happily on stage. "Like it or not, I had their information recited to me on a daily basis, and even if I didn't want to hear it since it was none of my business, I didn't have the luxury to refuse."

The blue eyed male traced Shikamaru's sight and he understood. "I totally understand."

"Naruto, I'm going out for a bit." Gaara suddenly declared, catching the attention of the male who'd dragged him to this 'get-together'.

"Um…okay."

"Wait, I'm coming with you." Tenten said as she excused herself from the group and went out, following the redhead.

After the two were out, Naruto's eyes fell back towards the genius sitting before him, and his eyes turned serious. "Shikamaru, I want to ask you something,"

"About Gaara?"

Naruto shook his head, "No, about Sasuke, Uchiha Sasuke. What was he like in high school?"

The prodigy looked hard into Naruto's eyes, then brought the beer close to his lips and drank. "Normal, I'd say, he also had all of the mentioned above characteristics that Hyuuga Neji held, but he differed in two aspects. One, he didn't have the evilness and psyche of Hyuuga Neji. Two, he kept everyone at an arm's length whilst Hyuuga Neji welcomed everyone that wanted to be close to him with open arms."

"So, Sasuke was cold-hearted?"

"To some, they would answer with a 'yes'. But to me he looked more sad than cold. It felt as if he didn't want to keep everyone away, but he couldn't bring them closer either. Like, he was masking everything because of something deep inside of him. Yet, I would never be able to understand him since we weren't all that close back in school, so, whatever you might think I could tell you about him, can reach only so far. However, if you want to know more, I suggest you talk to either Hyuuga or Gaara…well, Hyuuga might not be of any good use since he spent his high school days pining over a certain redhead, but try your chances."

"Over Gaara. Yes, I know. But I didn't know other people knew."

"It wasn't exactly a top secret back then since Hyuuga didn't bother hiding it. And Gaara was too dense to allow that information to sink in, so, each and every try Hyuuga had made to catch the other's attention was made public to the whole school, so, somehow, I pity Hyuuga for it. Falling for dense people sure is a pain."

"But it's different now, because I think Gaara is starting to seriously consider Neji-senpai's feelings, and not just ignore it like always."

"Wait," Two calm orbs looked at him as if he was an alien. "You mean they haven't hooked up, yet?"

"Umm…no, not as far as I know."

"Shit! I totally thought Gaara would fall for the other's traps one day or another. Well, it only shows that the redhead isn't as frail as he looks."

"Gaara doesn't appear frail."

"Now, he doesn't, but back then, he did. He was always by himself, eating by himself, walking by himself, keeping himself company, refusing the company of others. Girls found his mistiness admirable and would chase after him each now and then, but he refused to get close to any of them and many were heartbroken because of this."

"But he opened up to Neji-senpai, right?"

"Right. Somehow, Hyuuga was different."

"They made friends real quick."

"Yeah…which made a lot of heads turn towards them. Each asking the one million question, how could Hyuuga Neji break through the new transfer student's walls and manage to become his friend? Yet, to this day, no one knows the answer."

"Aha…by the way, why do you call Neji-senpai Hyuuga while Gaara with his given name?"

"Hmm…no reason really. Could be just a habit."

"This one is lying to you, Naruto-kun." Lee came to cut through the two's conversation, having had enough finally of staring at his beautiful, pink-haired queen. "Shika here was a very good friend to Gaara."

"You're one to talk, being close to Hyuuga yourself."

Lee stuck his tongue out and said. "He is a good person. Very intelligent and strong. I don't see why other people think so lowly of him. Maybe they're just jealous; he's no trouble at all."

"Trouble doesn't see trouble as trouble, and since you're trouble yourself, you get along fine with him." Shikamaru replied, standing up. "I'm going to take a smoke outside. Be careful not to let him drink too much, Naruto. He gets to be quite the handful when he does."

Naruto nodded and watched as the dark haired male moved out of the Karaoke room they were in. His attention was soon grabbed by a strangely concerned Lee.

"Ummm, Naruto-kun, tell me, how have you been since the last time you came to visit me?"

"Oh, fine, fine! I managed to get my lost memories back luckily and I would like to apologize for the discomfort I caused that time."

"No worries, my friend. I get a lot of cases like yours. For the love of me, I don't understand why all the youth are afraid of needles!" Lee exclaimed with a frown.

Naruto wanted to correct him that people weren't afraid of the needles per se, but of the person holding them. But, stopped, thinking how harsh that would be and concealed his mean comment with a friendly smile.

"So, Rock-san, how are things between you and Sakura?"

Suddenly the happy face turned one eighty up the scale of happiness, and Naruto feared his eyes to go blind by the happy radiations emitting from the bowl-headed male before him.

"Couldn't be better! We're progressing very smoothly! And…" Lee came closer to be able to whisper the words into the blond's ear. "I'm thinking of asking her to move in with me tomorrow night!"

Naruto sweat-dropped at the information he'd just heard and eased the Chinese male to a stop. "Hmm…how about you hold your horses a little on that one? I know for sure that Sakura doesn't like it when things roll out of her hand, and this is clearly having things roll out of her hand. So, before you go off dropping such a huge bomb on her, measure her temperature first."

"Measure her temperature? Is she sick or something?"

"No, no, not literally, metaphorically. Err…like for instance, casually ask her what she thinks about this and that and then of moving out of her house. It would be better to know before you ask; she may not be prepared for such a huge step just yet."

"But, Naruto-kun, isn't it better to let her know I want it? To talk it out if she doesn't want it? I know I still have a long way ahead of me to be worthy of her, but I'm treasuring her above everything else in my life right now, and I love her, with all of my heart. And I hope, one day, she will agree to be my wife. So, doesn't all of this mean I should ask her to move in with me? Instead of beating around the bushes and have her think untrue thoughts and assumptions about me?"

Slowly, as he watched the other play the record of his life with Sakura ahead, Naruto felt his lips stretch into a sweet smile. Maybe this creepy dude wasn't all that bad, and maybe, just maybe, he could actually leave Sakura in his hands without being afraid for her wellbeing.

Naruto smiled and took the other's hands in his. "Then, if that's really the case, ignore everything I said to you so far and go get her. Let her know what you want her to know, and I hope everything works out the best for you."

Lee brightened, having gotten the 'okay' from Sakura's best mate and nodded with happiness to him. "Thank you, Naruto-kun! And may God be with you!"

Having said that, Lee jumped away with extra excitement, and calmly Naruto watched him as he went over to Sakura's side and giggles broke free from her mouth as her face turned red. At that moment, the blond realized something that he couldn't see before, and it made him give off a genuinely joyful smile.

His best friend was in love.

* * *

By the time everything had finished, Naruto was dropped off near dawn on the dorm, alongside a very tired looking Gaara. Upon arriving to the main hall, fast, strong steps made its way towards them, and the blond watched in surprise as his redhead companion was slapped hard by a clearly very pissed off Neji.

"Fuck you, Gaara!"

No other words were spoken and silently, Gaara excused himself and walked behind the mad raven, leaving Naruto to only guess the reason for the resonating slap.

Yet, it wasn't his business to interfere and that wasn't his problem. Besides, he was dead tired and wanted nothing more than a warm bed and a big, fluffy blanket to hide under and surrender his aching muscles to sleep. Unfortunately, he came back to a dusty, lone room. A room that reminded him of the small fact that he'd left Sasuke's safe house and had now returned to the life of solitude. But again, he was too tired to think of any of those gloomy thoughts right now.

So, he got a clean sheet out of his bag, put it over the dusty bed and lay over it. Closing his eyes, he allowed the sweet dreams to engulf his exhausted limbs into their warmth and make him forget for the moment all the troubles lurking in his shadows.

Naruto lay lifeless like dead corpse for eight more hours to come. In which his body had ignored the lessons he was supposed to go attend and decided to take the day off. Unbeknownst to the sleeping beauty, the door was slowly opened and a dark shadow moved inside. With a tsk, the dark shadow pulled its arms up and started doing the simple, graceful act of cleaning the place it was going to inhabit.

Close to the evening, blue orbs slowly opened and Naruto started getting up, wiping the leftover of sleep out of his eyes. He stretched his body and frowned when his movement was limited to a degree due to the presence of a solid object beside him. Sluggishly, with ease, he turned his head around. When the soft, peaceful face of Sasuke came to greet him, he released a sigh.

Why? When he was going out of his way to create some distance between them, why did Sasuke have to come back to him? Sure, there was no written document saying that Sasuke couldn't return back to his old dorm room, but Naruto liked to think that he was being respected enough to be given the pleasure of some space. He released another sigh when he got out, finding the room good as new, it was apparent who has done all the work, and he hit himself on the head for forcing Sasuke to clean up all the room by himself. No wonder he looked extra exhausted liked that.

Figuring that it was best to get the stench of booze out of his skin, Naruto kneeled beside his bag and got some clean clothes out then walked towards the shower to start scrubbing at his flesh. By the time he was done, the light had already gone down and the sky was dark. He wrapped a towel over his midsection and was welcomed with cool, calm, black orbs the minute he walked back into the room.

"Good evening." He greeted making his way towards the bed.

"Why did you leave?"

"Why are you here?"

"I asked first."

"That doesn't make it a rule that I should be the one answering."

"Was it because we fought?"

"No, it wasn't."

"Then why leave?"

"I just felt the need to."

Sasuke directed sharp eyes at the dressing blond. "You wanted to run away…away from me?"

"No, I didn't. I wanted space."

"You're finally scared, hah? I warned you that my life was hell but you didn't listen, and now, you're running away for your life, isn't that it?"

"Uchiha, you're saying a load of crap, you know that?"

"It's not like you're giving me a lot of choices here, _Uzumaki_."

Being fully dressed now, Naruto turned his face and looked the other straight in the eyes. "I left because I wanted some space. We both need some space. I wasn't afraid, I wasn't running away and I wasn't thinking about dumping your ass, either. I simply wanted some space."

"I told you, there's no such thing as space. It's either you want to be with me or you don't."

"It doesn't have to be white or black, there's grey in the middle, Sasuke. And I'm using grey right now. I don't want to leave you, yet, I'm failing myself. I had detached myself away from Sakura to live on my own, but I wasn't doing that. I was relying on you instead, living in your house, eating your food; you pay for everything I need. And I don't like that. I want to return to the old me; I need to return to relying on myself."

"…How long will this little whim of yours last?"

"Sasuke." Naruto sighed. "It's not a whim. I just want to find myself."

"And you can't find yourself with me?"

"No, you don't understand…when I'm with you, I'm so overwhelmed by 'us' that I forget that 'I' even exist, and I hate that!"

"Okay, I've had enough of this. How long will it last?"

"I…I don't know."

"This is ridiculous!"

Naruto watched the other stand up, collecting his coat. "Where are you going?"

"Leaving your ass to do whatever you want to do. And if you want to stop me by saying another shitty thing about trying to figure your fucking self or whatever, don't bother! To me, all of this shit you're doing is just running away, I tell you all about my past, and the next day you run off. Hn…should have known better."

Blue eyes widened at the words coming out of Sasuke's lips and Naruto grabbed the other by the hand, but his hand was yanked away, so, he tried again, and it was yanked again. The third time it was yanked, he yanked back and forced Sasuke to fall back in bed; moving quickly, he jumped over the other and pinned him to the water beneath, using his legs to straddle Sasuke's hips.

"You're one fucking big moron, Teme! I can't even begin to think of insults to match that worthless brain you have there! How could you think I'd do something like that?! I mean, where did all of those sweet days we had together go? What happened to your fucking trust in me?! I can't believe you would say something like that!"

"Then what the fuck am I supposed to believe, ha?! You sneaked out in the night like some criminal out of the house and didn't even tell me anything about it! Right after I poured my fucking soul to you, you run! You tell me, what the fuck was I supposed to think?!"

"Believe in me! Trust in me! Think that I had a really good reason for doing so, not just think I'd run away from you! I can't believe that I'm actually discussing this with you right now! After all the stuff I have done, after telling you countless times that I'll never abandon you, you still don't trust me!"

Sasuke fisted his hands on the bed and turned his head away from the shining eyes above him. He couldn't reply, not to a single word Naruto was saying. Because it was right. What Naruto was saying was right. He shouldn't have jumped into bad conclusions and thoughts about Naruto dumping him; he should have trusted in Naruto more and waited 'til the other come back to him with his own explanation as to why he'd left…he should have believed in him.

But…

"I…I can't do that. I can't just sit around idly with no clue as to what's going on with you. Whenever you're away, I can't sleep. That's why I came here today. I couldn't sleep last night, I've turned insomniac because of you, dammit!"

Naruto's eyes softened at the sweet words he was hearing and his hold on Sasuke was released, then he moved off of him and sat like a human beside the dark haired male.

"Sasuke, you need to have more faith in me. I also can't bear to be apart from you. But this is so messed up. We're friends; we should be able to be away from each other. That's why I needed space. We're too attached to each other. I had thought that being together was the cure the first time around, but that's not it. Every minute I spend with you, I don't want to let go. I'm afraid of reaching a place where we really won't be able to function away from each other. That's why we need to have some distance between us right now, before it's too late."

"Why do we need to be away from each other?"

"Why…you ask me why," Naruto frowned at the question and came up with the best answer he could think of. "Well, because it's the normal thing to do. We're friends. Isn't it weird to be together twenty four seven?"

"Naruto, how about you throw away the labelling for a change and just allow yourself to be with me, how about that?"

"I…can't do that. Labels are everything in this world. I can't just disregard them like that, and if I did, then I wouldn't know how to treat our relationship."

"Okay, I have been patient enough with you, but this is the fucking limit! First, we're NOT friends, yes, we have started off as friends, but my feelings for you are not that of a friend. So, we're not friends. And second, if you dropped the old label, trust me, a new one would be given. You just have to have the courage and hold your hand out to me not blabber on some stupid shit about us being apart!"

"Sasuke…I…"

"Enough! No more words, you're only allowed to feel this time."

Naruto was forcefully pushed to the waterbed beneath them and with every power he was given, Sasuke was making sure to have the blond in his hands forget all about any stupid plan to separate between them and force him to drown in the sweet emotions that he was sure were being stirred inside of him right now. Naruto groaned as his right hand tried to push Sasuke's chest away, but due to the lack of oxygen and Sasuke's heartless tries to dominate him, his powers were failing him. But he refused to go down without a fight.

Upon being tackled from the legs, the raven proved yet again that he was swifter in thinking than Naruto and held the naughty legs in place by putting his weight on them, and again, Naruto's attempts were flushed down the toilet. Sasuke sneaked his left hand inside Naruto's shirt, and when the blond started jolting, he bit hard on the lower lip he was dominating and forced Naruto to quiet down.

"S-Sasuke…!"

The raven traced softly the lines on Naruto's body and enjoyed every moment Naruto would come in turmoil with himself about what to do or how torn he was between his brain and heart. Yes, a little part of him hated torturing Naruto this way, but this little game of theirs had gone far too long, and he didn't have any will in him anymore to continue with Naruto's selfish desires and his inability to come clean with his own feelings.

So, even if it killed him, he was going to get some truth out of those sinfully attractive lips right now!

When the limbs he was attacking with love went numb under him, Sasuke decreased his attacks and resigned into a more humanly level of bringing Naruto's spirit back. He pressed a soft, chaste kiss to Naruto's lips and his heart released a thump when Naruto's hands circled his hair and brought his head down to clash in a painfully sweet kiss between them.

They broke the kiss and Sasuke watched as the blue oceans released waters that flew so freely out of Naruto's orbs. So gently, tanned hands cupped both his cheeks and Naruto said with a cracked voice that resembled a whisper to Sasuke.

"Alright…I give in, you win…I…I love you, Sasuke."

And Sasuke's heart clenched uncontrollably at the chains tightening from the words Naruto had just spoken.

* * *

**:D Thank you everyone for reading so far, and I hope you liked the ending. I always wanted to write Naruto spilling the beans first and I finally did. :D So, review and tell me what you think about it, I'll be waiting.**


	10. Chapter Ten

**Author's Notes:**

**Well, this is embarrassing. I seriously have nothing to say for myself for the late update except I'm sorry, and life again, had kept me busy. T_T I do have something that would make you all not hate me though, I've finally grasped the lengths of this story xD, it would be about 13 chapters, yay! And as usual, thank you my lovely Beta, XxDreaming of RealityxX, for the edits you've done and the errors you'd fixed, and to all of you fine reviewers for reviewing, favorite-ing, and following. We only have three more chapters to go 'til the end, so stick around and enjoy the story~**

* * *

Sakura frowned at the blond airhead sitting on her passenger seat with the weight of the world on his shoulders. Her frown turned into a disgusted scowl when Naruto sighed for the thousandth time since they had gotten inside her elegant vehicle that day. Having had enough of this dead, lifeless corpse sighing beside her, she snorted out.

"Blondie! Look, if you're going to spend your whole three-day vacation sighing like a stupid idiot, I'll drop your stinking ass out there, then you can get back to him!"

Naruto blinked out of his own little world and met her annoyed eyes with questioning ones of his own. "Huh? What's wrong, Sakura-chan?"

"Don't 'what's wrong?' me! You're clearly not in the mood for any trips right now! With the amount of sighs you've been making, its capital letters clear your mind's elsewhere."

A small smile came to his face at her words and he shook his head. "No, it's not like that. My mind is here, but I just have some loose ends that I haven't dealt with yet."

Sakura minimized her bitchy attitude to a degree to be able to get some information out of her friend. "Do these loose ends have anything to do with the dick?"

And when Naruto's face suddenly flushed red, Sakura had to roll her eyes, mimicking his sighs in number. Her best friend had formed a nasty habit this past three weeks. At the least mention of his roommate's name or any adjective that would refer to him, he would turn into a fricking blushing Virgin Mary. And needless to say, it was pushing all of her wrong buttons.

"N-No, what would make you think that?!"

"That!" She pointed to his face; ignoring the curses she got from the drivers on the road as her car slowly swerved to the right, forcing them to hit hard on the breaks as to avoid an unnecessary crash. "Right there! That stupid blush that catches your stupid face on fire every time I mention him! That what would make me think it has something to do with him!"

"Whoa! Wait a sec here, Sakura! A blush? Who's blushing?!"

"You are!" Frustrated by the horns disturbing her, Sakura stuck her head out and cursed back. "Oh yeah! Fuck you too,dickshits!"

Naruto took the chance and looked his face in the sideway mirror, his eyes widened at the obvious flush on his features. "…Oh shit! Don't tell me I've been looking like this the whole time?!"

"Not all the time, just when his royal ass would be mentioned."

"Holy fuck!"

Sakura again rolled her eyes when Naruto started banging his head with her car; if her friend didn't feel the pain, she was afraid her car would, and in worst case scenario, get dented by his iron skull. Frowning, she asked, in an attempt to have him stop his assault on her car's anterior.

"Mind telling me what had happened between you and him? And don't you even think about lying! I already know something's up."

Naruto concealed his red features with his bangs and had to grab his aching chest with his right hand as his heart had decided that pounding the regular way was boring and it needed to be out bursting from the ribcage that held it hostage.

"…I…I said something."

"Yes?"

"Something bad."

"And?"

"That's it. I said something bad."

Sakura snorted and pulled her car on the side, hitting hard on the breaks to have her friend rebound hard to the back – since he wasn't wearing the seatbelt – and show him exactly how much frustrated and on the verge of hitting him to death she was. And apparently her glare was enough to shriek him in his seat with that notion nailed to his thick skull.

"Look here, idiot, when you hold a conversation with someone, you hold it right! Now, let's try this once more." She took a deep breath, shedding off her anger and asked with a smile. "What happened between you and the dick?"

"I disagree with you always calling him a dic-"

"Naruto!"

"I told him I loved him!" He blurted out loud, causing her gorgeous green eyes to widen in obvious surprise. And Sakura was true to her emotions.

"Wow."

"Yeah…wow. I didn't even believe it myself, and after I said it and slept on it, it sank right inside my head. I said I loved him; not as a normal friend, but as a lover, a boyfriend. I'd become gay, the thing you were afraid of having happen to me had. I'm a fully pledged gay man now, Sakura."

The pink hair girl raised her hand stopping him. "Okay, wait right here, give me a minute, please."

Naruto watched as his best friend exited the car elegantly and went over to the mini-market they parked close to then, for whole fifteen minutes, disappeared inside. He just sat there, waiting for her return with anxiety running through his veins as to what she was going to say. Finally, Sakura came out holding a bag of water and refreshments inside. She opened the door and asked him to get out, throwing the bag in the backseat for now.

"You kicking me out because I'm gay?"

"Just come out!"

Naruto pouted. "I thought you didn't care about this stuff, Sakura. You, yourself said that we'll always be friends regardless of what may come, but this is the end? You throwing me out just because I like dicks? How could you, Sakura? How could you?!"

"Walk with me, doofus." Sternly, she answered all of his questions and began walking away.

Being filled with further confusion, Naruto followed close behind. Not a faraway distance, she stopped before a brown haired male, eating his ice-cream with a satisfied smile on his face, Sakura pointed to him in an authoritative tone. "Kiss him."

Naruto scowled at her words and folded his hands totally not getting his friend's point. "Why?"

"You said you're a fully pledged gay man now, right? Then you'd have no problem with kissing him."

Looking back from the surprised looking male and Sakura, Naruto shook his head. "I can't."

"Why? If you're gay, then there's no reason why you wouldn't be able to kiss him. He isn't that bad looking, I can kiss him. And you know I don't kiss trash."

"Sakura, we don't even know him, and look at him!" Naruto pointed towards the brunet who seemed offended by the two strangers having a very weird conversation revolving him, "We don't even know who he is!"

"Not a problem." Sakura crossed the small distance separating them, and extended her hand to the new male. With a friendly smile, she introduced. "Hello, I'm sure this sounds weird and very sudden to you, but mind helping us out for a little? But first, we'll begin with introductions, I'm Haruno Sakura, he's Uzumaki Naruto, you are?"

"Hashimoto Kenta…umm…what would you want my help with?"

"See, we know him now. So," Sakura switched to her flirtatious mood and winked back to the brunet male. "With something that won't cost you anything, Kenta-kun. Would you mind if I kissed you?"

The male dropped his ice-cream at those words. Having a beautiful girl, coming particularly out of nowhere and asking to kiss his lips, his mind went numb. This was every man's fucking dream! There's no way in the seven hells he'd say no! Kenta blushed, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly and nodded to her.

"I wouldn't mind if you do so, my lovely lady."

Sakura leaned down and took the other's lips into hers; she didn't put any emotion or will in it and mainly did it as demonstration to Naruto that you can really kiss anyone. She moved back after her demo had finished and gave her best friend an 'I-told-you-it-could-be-done' look, Naruto scowled in return.

"Okay, now it's your turn," She said, rolling her eyes when the man she'd just kissed clearly wasn't satisfied with a simple brush of lips.

"Sakura, I can't kiss him."

"Naruto, I have just established that '_can't'_ doesn't function here, it's invalid, you '_can'_ do it, and you _will_!"

"How about 'don't want to'? I don't want to kiss a random person of the street!"

"Hey!" Kenta pounced on his feet to defend himself. "I'm not of the street!"

"You," She pushed a finger on the new male's chest and forced him down. "Hush and sit back down, this doesn't concern you, so stay out. And you," Her attention fell back to Naruto. "If it's a matter of will, well, you've already concluded that you're one hundred percent gay, so, 'will' would not be a problem. If you're a true gay man, you'd have no problem kissing him, just like I –a true straight woman – didn't."

Feeling like his friend really did have a point there; Naruto sighed and moved close to the brown haired male. "I still don't agree to it, and I have no idea what you're trying to prove here, but if kissing him will allow you to stop this crazy game, then I'll do it."

Leaning down, towards the baffled looking brunet, Naruto put both his hands on his cheeks and steadied the head there. His eyes shifted to the slightly parted lips, and he felt his heart sink. Yet, he swallowed the sudden lump and brought his lips close to the other's. The moment his lips kissed the other male, Naruto felt his stomach swirl in disgust and his insides wish to strangle the lips that were making them experience such emotions. His mind quickly compared, this was different. This unwanted feeling running though his body was different, it wasn't the same as the delight, excitement, pleasure and fire Sasuke's kissing would bring to his body. He didn't like this, his whole being rejected this, and as his ears heard the flash of a nearby camera, Naruto pushed the head he was kissing away from him with his hands rubbing fiercely at the point of contact, his lips.

He blinked horrified eyes at the still baffled male and secured his tanned hands over his lips.

"See?" The voice of his best friend kneeling beside him brought Naruto out of his little fear-realm. "I just proved my point. Now, get up, we have a long way ahead of us."

Naruto took a few minutes to process her words and when he did, he found his friend had already said goodbye to the male they met and was on the way to her car. He followed and reached just in time for her to start on driving.

And in the car, they stayed in silence for a few minutes, in which Sakura spent organizing her thoughts. Finally, Naruto's sluggish voice asked with obvious puzzlement.

"What happened back there?"

"Me proving to you that you're not gay. You're just in love with a guy."

"Isn't that the same thing?"

"No, Naruto, it's not. When you fall for someone, you fall for who they are, not for what gender they are. And you believe you've turned gay just because you love the di– Uchiha Sasuke is wrong. If you're gay, you wouldn't show a face like this when you kiss another male."

Sakura gave him her cell and showed him the picture she'd taken of him kissing Hashimoto Kenta. He frowned. His facial expression clearly showed he was uncomfortable with the kiss, no, not just uncomfortable, he hated the kiss, loathed it with every fibre of his being. Naruto handed the cell back to its owner, having finally understood her objective to this little experiment she forced him into.

"Thank you, Sakura."

She gave her troubled friend a smile. "No need for it. I just felt that you needed to be corrected out of the false belief you have developed for yourself. So, tell me, what happened between you two after?"

"Well," Naruto began, slipping back into the chair in a comfortable position. "Nothing. It's been three weeks I think since I told him I loved him, and ever since, I've been avoiding him like the plague."

"Avoiding him? How exactly did you manage that? I mean you two live in one room. You can't avoid each other even if you tried."

"Well, I had exams to tend to, so I went over to Kiba's house a lot for group study, and I think Sasuke sensed I don't want to be near him, so, he started coming home late. Like at one or two A.M, when I'm already asleep. In the morning, I'd leave early for the exams and that's how it's been."

"And after you finished them, you jumped the first train out when your friends organized this little trip."

"It's not like I'm escaping or anything, they'd organised this trip a while back and I couldn't just bail on them, I didn't see why I should either, so I came."

Sakura sighed. "Wait, let me guess, you haven't told him a single thing about it, and left it all for the guards following us right now to report back to him."

"N–O." He flashed her a cheesy grin. "Firstly, there's no one tailing us, I told Sasuke to stop them from doing so. Secondly, I left him a letter, explaining everything."

She avoided hitting the breaks and maintained a normal exterior as her will to hit Naruto was only increasing by the minute. "So you just left like that? Without straightening up anything and didn't even hear what he wants to say to you?"

"Told you, have loose ends to think about."

"I always get astonished by how much of a moron you are."

"I can't help it, Sakura. Don't you think I want to meet him and talk all of this over with him? But I can't! Seriously can't! My tongue would knot, my throat would dry out and the words would stop flowing inside my head. I'd turn into a wooden statue beside him, and this would never have happened before, that's why I'm avoiding him. I've forgotten how to deal with Sasuke."

At the sound laugh that escaped her red, shiny, lipstick-ed lips, Naruto pouted.

"I swear, this is so funny!"

"Glad to see you having fun on my expense."

"Sorry, sorry, didn't mean to laugh at you. But it's all so thrilling. I hate him and I truly wish if you'd fallen for someone else, like your cute colleague Hinata instead of him, but you did, and it's your choice. And now, you're dwelling because you have lost the way to act in front of him, well flash news to you, stupid, HE FUCKING LOVES YOU, TOO! So there's no need to get anxious or turn into wood or anything! He's also in love with you, get that?!"

Naruto looked at her as if she had lost her mind, and by the grin on her lips, he didn't think that she was so far from it. "No, he doesn't. I don't really know what he thinks of me, maybe a really close friend, but not a lover. It's true we kiss and play around, but Sasuke's never mentioned anything about being in love with me."

"Maybe he isn't the type to hold emotions to values, he's just not romantic, still doesn't mean he doesn't love you."

"Have you not been listening to any of the things I've been telling you about?! Sasuke is the most romantic guy in the whole wide world! If he loved me, I'd fucking know!"

"To me, the way you two were dealing with each other and the way he's treating you, you're already head over heels for each other."

"I'm head over heels for him, he's not."

"Blondie, seriously, your self-denial can't be any more annoying. And get your stinking ass out, we've arrived!"

At the small, cozy hotel Sakura had parked near, Naruto elicited a sigh and got out, putting all the fuss about Sasuke and his unexpected love confession to the back of his head and enjoying the three day's trip he and his trio of friends were going to enjoy alongside a very amused Sakura.

* * *

"This will be Naruto-kun's room, over there is yours and Shino-kun's room, and on the other side, us girls will be in room number fourteen. If you need anything, just knock." Hinata finished with a cheerful smile on her face.

Kiba scowled at the room arrangement and snarled at his love interest. "Wait a goddamn minute here, you little devil."

"Is there something you need, Kiba-kun?" She fluttered her eyelashes cutely at him, and as always, his inner heart beat him and his angry tone died down.

"…W-Well, why is he having a whole room to himself while I share with bug dude over there? I mean, we three could have roomed in together instead of the overpay."

"You see, this is the first time Naruto-kun is participating in anything fun with us, so he got the whole room to himself. Could it be you want the room to yourself? Or is it that you don't want to room in together with Shino-kun?" Hinata gave a sideways glance to the bug lover and he raised Kiba the finger. "Maybe you're just not satisfied with my choice of arrangement. Is that it? Did I make you mad?" Like lightening, her eyes filled with tears and Kiba sweat-dropped.

"Oh! No, no! It's fine! You did nothing wrong! I'm fine with the arrangement, you don't have to cry. Please! I'm wrong, I was just jealous, Naruto can have the room, right, Shino?"

"Dude, it's your own mess, don't drag me down with you."

Kiba sent a glare at his best pal and tried to wipe the tears rolling down Hinata's eyes.

"I'm so sorry; I won't say I don't like anything you do anymore…so stop crying, I beg you!"

Just as swift as the tears began flowing, they stopped, and Hinata bared happy teeth to the male who realized late that he'd yet again fallen for her crocodile tears. Kiba released a defeated sighed.

"Now that's all the objections have been settled," She grinned again to the sulking brunet. "Everyone, you're free to go to your rooms and unpack! Remember though, we are going to come down at four for lunch, I know, it's a little late, but I also know how tired everyone is from the long drive and no one's going to object to some more rest, right?"

Sakura nodded, nursing her aching muscles from driving since morning. "I second that. Right now, I'm more tired than hungry."

"Alrighty then, see you everyone, enjoy your rest~"

With that Hinata broke the gathering and went towards her room, leaving her two best friends to wander lazily to the room she forced them into. Actually, her initial plan was to book only two rooms, one for the boys and one for the girls, but a call from her new pink-haired friend, Sakura, had her switch to the other arrangement and leave a room free for Naruto himself.

Naruto started saying his goodbye when Sakura grabbed him suddenly and winked.

"Naru-chan, if I were you, I wouldn't be so relaxed with the room,"

He frowned at her strange words. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, you're not alone. We're still missing a person and he's on his way here. So, if you're going to sleep, sleep with an eye open~" She chirped cheerfully.

His beautiful azure orbs widened and his mouth gaped like a fish out of the water when he realized the meaning shadowing her dark words. "No. You didn't!"

"I did!"

"Sakura! How could you?!"

"Shush, baka! You should be thanking me! Now, you're going to have to force your little chicken self in there to tough it up, grin, and act like the man I know that is hiding somewhere inside all that stupidity!"

"I seriously can't believe you did this!"

"Get over it already now, bye, bye. I have some beauty sleep to catch up on. Take care, darling."

"Darling my ass, I hate you!"

"The feeling's mutual, sweetie."

Bearing a happy grin, Sakura merrily jumped the small distance towards her new room. As she opened the door, and was met with the two-faced, little devil who was neatly unpacking her bag; Sakura knew. This trip of theirs was going to rock!

* * *

Neji poked the tanned cheeks as a smirk resident itself on his face. Gaara rolled his eyes at the childish behavior and took hold of Neji's hand before the blond could explode.

"Stop it already. He doesn't like it."

"Aww…but he's obviously disappointed. Did you think Sasuke was the one who was coming? Sorry for bursting your happy bubble. But we're the ones who are going to intrude on you not him. Sasuke has too much in his hands to bother with a runaway roommate~" Neji merrily said, smirking even more when his words made an impact on Naruto, having the blond released an unconscious shiver.

Gaara frowned, putting the bags inside the room. "You don't sound the least bit sorry…and stop poking him!"

"That's because he's so cute to play with," Neji poked another unresponsive cheek, "right, Naru-chin?"

The only reaction the blond did to this was sigh to his Senpai, bend, excuse himself out, and leave the room to the two males before the long haired raven could come up with another annoying trick to make Naruto's life a living misery…more than it currently was. Neji pouted when his toy exited the spacious room.

"That's no way to treat your Senpai, Naru-chin!" He shouted to the closed off door.

"If you asked me, you should be thankful he didn't bash your pretty face into a wall."

"No, he wouldn't, because he couldn't. I know how to guard myself. Besides, some teasing never hurt anybody."

"When he's not having his heart in the court, your teasing is okay. But right now, he is seriously not in the mood for it."

"Nonsense! People are always in the mood for me!"

"Just keep believing that."

Neji's lovely face turned serious in a second and he said. "Do you think he's going to cry?"

"Well, I think if you keep teasing him about Sasuke anymore, something bad _will_ happen. Naruto is in a shaky state right now and I can only feel sorry for him."

"You still won't ask me what happened between them though. Don't you want to know?"

Gaara pulled the hat covering his locks off and allowed his red hair to fall gently over his face, decorating it with hazy margins. "No. If he wanted me to know, he would have told me."

"Standing on people's silly desire to have you know anything, will not allow you to know anything. In order to grab knowledge, you have to disregard worthless things like '_permission' _and attain it by force."

"That's in your world, not mine. And it's not '_knowledge'_, this is merely gossip, which I'm not interested in hearing."

"Always so righteous. I, sometimes, doubt you're a Sabaku."

Jade orbs flashed in a momentarily anger but it passed the next minute. "Coming from a family with a bad history doesn't mean I should follow in their footsteps and forget what I truly believe."

"I hate those morals of yours the most, but then again, maybe they were the reason why I didn't think you're trash like everyone else."

"_That_ aside. Where's Sasuke really?"

"Hmm," Neji rose from the soft mattress and made his way towards the redhead who was busy with unpacking their clothes. "I thought you were '_above' _pitiful gossip."

"This is not gossip; this is me asking about someone. It's not interfering with their business at any rate, and it's something you have the will to answer to or not."

"Well now, should I answer or shouldn't I?"

"Your choice."

Neji slumped back on Gaara's back when he bent over to open one of the bags and refused to budge even when Gaara clearly made him know, that that move wasn't welcomed.

"Sasuke is on his way here. Actually, he phoned me earlier to get him the grand suite here. But surprisingly, this small hotel those poor college students have booked into has no such thing as master or grand rooms, let alone a suite. I think Naru-chin is in for a very long night."

"Hn. And you just made him feel as if he was less than a dirt in Sasuke's shoes, unimportant as shit. Truly, your cruelty does amaze me."

"Cruelty? I'd call it getting even. You didn't think I'd just allow him to weasel out without any punishment from my side. He hurt my childhood friend, the least I could do is hurt him back…even for a few, silly hours."

Gaara stood up straight, causing the male over his back to stumble falling on the soft bed, and emphasized his old words. "You're as cruel as ever."

Neji smirked and pulled the redhead who was dangerously close, even closer. "And I love you, too~"

With tainted hands that knew little about how to treasure, love and not harm, Neji held close to the clam male on top of him, and as his heart burst out with alienated happiness that scared and shook him to the core, he allowed his lips to change from the normal smirk into a new expression that was truly foreign to them. A genuine, happy, radiant smile that made his fingernails tingle.

* * *

Naruto sighed at the waves hitting his feet. Really this place was magical. It was so fricking romantic that it was cliché. Ocean waves, clean, wet sand beneath his feet and a moony sky. Yes, so puking romantic. A picture of himself and Sasuke playing with the waves while one chased the other momentarily fleeted inside his brain, Naruto held his stomach not to gag at the image. There was no fucking way he was going to do something as horrible as that! He did love the dude, but he was still a man! A man who refused to be seen in that light for a day in his life!

Coming close to the hotel they were in, Naruto sighed. There really was no need to start worrying about stuff like A: Sasuke wasn't coming. And B: Sasuke didn't love him. They were friends, good friends, close friends, but not lovers. True, that night, when his heart overpowered his brain and he released those words out loud, he'd thought Sasuke was feeling the same way, and expected to hear the same words resonate after his. But that didn't happen. It never happened. Not the day after, not after and not in any minute that his plan to avoid Sasuke had failed in.

Sasuke's expression. It was still engraved into his memory. How terribly terrified he looked, as if he was looking at a very frightening horror movie or being in the present of a terrorist who had pushed the designating button on the jacket of bombs he was wearing. Now, Naruto wasn't all that big on confessions and he didn't know what face people would see as having been received the confession in a positive light, but come on! The dude looked as if Naruto was holding a knife and threatening him with it. In no dictionary did that translate as being happy to hear it!

He sighed as sand got inside his sandals and, dusting it off, he walked inside the hotel, leaving his pain outside and smiling when his beautiful eyed friend brightened at his sight.

"Oh, Naruto-kun! Where have you been?" Hinata was by his side in less than a second.

"Just checking out the premises, why? Something wrong?"

"Hmm…nothing's wrong, but we were looking for you, we're going to town for a group dinner, Sakura-chan, Kiba-kun and Shino-kun have already left. It's just you, me and the new arrivals."

"You stayed back for my sake?"

Hinata smiled. "I'm the one who'd organized all of this; I couldn't just leave without informing you. It's your first time coming with us, and I don't want you to have bad memories of your friends ditching you the first time around."

Naruto petted the girl gently on her head and smiled. "Thank you. But you didn't have to go out of your way for me. A simple phone call would have been fine."

"It's nothing. I wanted to go with you. We never got a chance to talk back at school, because we're in different majors. So, I wanted to catch up with Kiba-kun and Shino-kun's knowledge of you."

The blond sweat-dropped at her words, it sounded more like she stayed back to get info for a race that she felt obligated to win and not because she genuinely wanted to know more about him. He felt his mouth turn into a smile, really, people were never as they appeared, and neither was this one.

"I'd be honoured to tell you anything you need to know to catch up with them."

"Yes! Oh, but, don't think I just want to know because they know, that's not right. I really want to know more about you. You're always silent when you sit with us, and at times I wonder if we aren't just troubling you with our presence."

"Troubling me?"

"Because you're always so quiet around us."

Hinata directed him to the place where their ride was waiting as she continued holding the conversation with him.

"I guess my silence would be explained the wrong way. The reason why I remain quiet is because I'm calm and happy. Actually, I had a difficult phase in my life where I couldn't form friends…no that's not right, I wasn't given the privilege to form friends and Sakura was the only one by my side, I appreciate everything she'd done for me, but I still wanted to make friends, other friends. And when I met you three, I thought _'oh, how nice. I want to be in a friendship like this. I want to be one of their friends'_, and that's why when you texted me for the first time, I was really, very happy to receive it. So, please, never think I'm troubled because of you. I thank God every day for having you all in my life. Such honest and loving friends, no one can ask for more."

Naruto gave off a grin when the girl suddenly shot into his arms, holding him in a tight hug. "I'm sorry, Naruto-kun. I didn't mean to make you say all of these things to me! I believe you, and we'll always be friends; that's something you never need to worry about!"

He circled his arms around her tiny figure and nodded. "Thank you, Hinata-chan, I hope so, too."

They broke from the hug when a voice calling for the blond came to their ears. Naruto looked up to see his Senpai standing with the same smirk he'd left him with plastered on his lips, with Gaara nodding at him from inside the comfortable looking Ferrari. It was different from the sandy one Naruto had gotten into the last time he was introduced to the redhead's choice of rides, but it was equally attractive. Little difference like the four passenger seats didn't take anything from its beauty either.

Happily, Naruto slid in the backseat of the silver Ferrari and waited for Hinata to finish talking with her sadistic cousin and enter beside him.

"Wow, they really do have the same eyes, don't they?"

"Yes."

"Seeing them together makes you think they're twins or something."

"Having the same nasty personality, but Hinata's better…a little."

Before Naruto could reply to Gaara's comment, the two cousins came inside of the car. Neji grinned as Gaara closed the doors to the car and started on driving.

"As fast as you can, baby. We have to show Naru-chin here just how well you can drive!"

And again, Naruto had to brace himself for the life and death situation that the snake sitting in the passenger seat had him stumbling into.

* * *

The dinner was a lot of fun. Naruto didn't think he'd laughed so much in his whole life. Everyone had fun, and they all got to know a little about the other, even the stoic faced Gaara released a couple of laughs at not being able to restrain himself. It was heaven. Naruto had truly thanked his friends for such a lovely time and retreated towards his room, which now held not only his body, but the bodies of two other grown up males with him.

Upon arrival, Neji claimed hold of the only bed in the room, leaving Naruto and Gaara no other choice but to go fend for extra mattresses from the landlord and hope they can somehow arrange them on the floor and have a peaceful sleep. Having already been blessed with a strong will, Naruto refused to allow a simple setback as having a demon in his room forbid him from achieving a perfect closure to a perfect day.

So, being lucky as one can be, he was able to get a mattress. But Gaara couldn't, since the hotel was so damn crowded. And with that they got back to the room, thinking that Gaara could either bunk with Naruto or with his very selfish lover. Yet, when they got to the room, Naruto's limbs went numb.

There, on the bed that Neji had claimed as his, sat none other than the infamous Uchiha Sasuke, his darkest nightmare.

When their eyes met, Sasuke's face released a frown. "Why do you always need to run awa–?"

And Naruto didn't stand to hear the rest of that question, because as if struck by a jolt of a policeman's stun gun, he was out of the room in a flash.

"Wow, Naru-chin sure can run! You better hurry and catch him, Sasuke, or he may really get out of your hands this time. You do know what they say about third times…they tend to be the charm. And he's already run away from you two times already…" Neji trailed off with an amused smirk.

Sasuke cursed. "Damn that fucking Dobe! When I find him, I'm going to break those pitiful legs for him!"

"'Atta boy!"

With that the cat and mouse chase had begun. Gaara entered the room, dragging behind the mattress Naruto had just ditched for dear life and closed the door behind him.

"I see he's come."

"Yep! And you know what's the best part in all of this?"

"What?"

"We get the room all to ourselves!" Neji chirped, dragging a confused Gaara to the bed.

"Aren't they coming back here?"

"Nope. Remember when I told you Sasuke asked for the master suite?"

"But you couldn't find it."

"I found the next best thing. A room two floors up, wide enough, and a stranger-free zone. I just gave him the key and no one is going to bother us anymore."

"Neji…sometimes, you scare me."

"Yes, yes, now, throw that thing away and come here to bed, I want to sleep."

Gaara nodded to his demanding love and got rid of the mattress to the outside, closed the door locked with the lights off, slipped off his clothes, and then snuck into the warm darkness that he loved very much and addressed with the soft name of, Neji.

* * *

Sasuke cursed as fire ran through his chest at the long distance he was forced to run, and with every step his feet sore in, he made sure he'd make the idiot taste the doubled amount of pain when he finally caught him. Sasuke took a turn to the right as the golden locks he used to find Naruto with turned there. Getting down the wooden stairs, into the front hall, Sasuke had to reduce his speed as not to bump into an old woman who was happily making her way slowly to her room. He turned right and left and cursed again when the hair leading him was nowhere to be found.

Still, not ready to call it quits, he strolled around the hall. Well, there really were not that many routes of escape Naruto could take. It was either he went to the showers – a place he looked and didn't find him in – or up the stairs, Sasuke had that possibility erased since he'd blocked the way with the old woman. Then the only other route was…

His eyes looked at the entrance and he ran there. If Naruto chose to blindly get out, there were so many places he could go to. But, he had no car, no money on him and Sasuke was pretty sure he'd left his cell on the nightstand. So, where could he run to with no cash, money or connections? Easy. Nowhere far. So, relying on brains, Sasuke keenly scanned the area close to the hotel; he fisted his hands as his search was leaving him more and more tired.

This day of his hadn't been easy. He woke up with the intention to straighten up everything with Naruto now that the blond had finished with his exams, and had actually arranged for them to go abroad into another country, as a gift for Naruto and then he was going to ease the new emotions into Naruto's heart; hopefully having their first night in a lovely candle-lit room. But that all had shattered as he woke up to a cold room with a single letter that hardly explained anything to calm the anger inside of him. And then when he thought to grab his things and hurry behind the runaway blond, his company had called and he needed to rush there.

By the time he'd finished, he got a call from Naruto's pink haired friend. And that single call had him change everything he thought about her. He thanked her and called, asking Neji to help him with arrangements, only to be surprised that the long haired raven was in fact in a close location to the place Naruto was supposed to be at. So, he got inside his car after settling everything back home and made to drive for full four hours without rest to the faraway hotel.

And when he finally arrived here, Naruto had started this meaningless chase. Yes, he was beyond the point of simple anger. He was fuming, and just waited enthusiastically for the minute his hands could lay on Naruto's flesh to teach him a lesson about life.

Luckily for his tired limbs, his eyes caught the hair they've been looking for lying – more like hiding – between the dark plants made to decorated the area around the shore. Sasuke gritted his teeth as his legs picked up speed.

"NA. !"

The blond jolted from his hiding spot and made a notion to begin running yet, before he could clear the area, Sasuke's sweaty hand grabbed hold of his arm and by the backward force he was yanked harshly into the other's chest, forcing them both back into the sandy ground, with Sasuke crushed under his weight.

"Fucking Dobe!" Naruto panicked at the words and tried to free his arm but it was like Sasuke's hand had turned to iron and refused to let go. "You're not going anywhere!"

Sasuke made this clear by switching their positions and having Naruto dipped into the sand instead of him. Tired, pissed off, dark eyes faced him, and Naruto immediately looked away.

"Don't you dare dart your eyes away from me!"

"…I don't know what you're talking about."

"Like fuck you don't know what I'm talking about!" Sasuke punched the sand beside Naruto's head, jerking the blond to him. "You fucking run the moment I open my eyes and when I find you, you run again! I'm so tired of your little running game! From this moment onwards, you won't get to turn into your chicken, powerless, pathetic self and run away from me ever again!"

Naruto bit his lip hard; Sasuke was talking as if he was the only one shouldering all the pain while Naruto was the one causing it, which was far from the truth. Fisting his hands in return, the blond snarled up.

"Oh shut it! Where do you go off dropping all of this shit on me?! Yes, I ran! I fucking ran! I ran from you! I ran from being unwanted! I ran from the disappointment and rejection in your eyes! Yes, Uchiha, I chose to run! And it doesn't mean that I,myself, am pathetic, powerless or a chicken, it just means that I wanted your fucking thick head to give me some time to collect myself before you reject me! But as always, you don't know how to fricking sit and wait for people to gather their courage and came following me!"

"Who the fuck said I'm going to reject you for you to run in a courage-quest in the first place?!"

Honest, blazing orbs faced Sasuke's dark ones and Naruto had to get hold of the sand beside him as for his shaking hands to quit. "You did! The moment I said those words you gave me your answer! Your lips didn't say a thing but your eyes told me everything. It was too much for you. I might've been the one who'd run away in reality, but you ran away that night before me. Your face gave me everything that I needed to know."

Sasuke sighed and got off of Naruto, allowing the blond a minute to catch his breath and straighten himself upright. He sat backward on his legs and said calmly.

"I…that night, I was shocked. I thought I was prepared for it, but I wasn't. When you said those words – even though they were a nice dream I have only kept in head – I freaked out. You know the feeling when you strive for something so long and when you finally get it, you get scared of holding it?"

"I'm not a dream, Sasuke."

The raven allowed a tiny smile to show on his features. "To me you were. And I was scared of reaching my hand and grabbing you. Call it whatever you want, but at that moment, I didn't trust myself enough to accept your feelings."

Naruto sighed and started standing up, dusting himself off. "And you don't have to. I don't want you to force an answer for my sake, I can wait for it. Yet, if you're planning on rejecting me, I'd prefer you do it now, because I can try and heal from it in here…and we can return back to being friends, so you don't have to worry about anything."

Sasuke scowled and got hold of a tan hand before Naruto would run out of his reach and another unwanted chase would take place. "Naruto, you really need to go clean your ears some more and listen right when people are talking."

"I heard you loud and clear, Teme. You can't decide what to answer me with, you're confused. You can't reach out to me because you have no idea what you want me to be to you, a friend or a lover, and I'm fricking making it easy for you! Reject me now!"

"No, it's not that you can't hear, it's your brain. You're simply an idiot. A moron who doesn't even know how to process words' meanings right inside his head."

Naruto snatched his hand and glared at the male sitting on sand. "Fine! If I'm so fucking stupid, you say it! Right this instant, tell me what I am to you!"

Sasuke looked around him. Sea, moony skies, calm waves and sand with no one on it as far as he could look. And he could kill himself at the cliché atmosphere, but if the blond wanted to be romanced this way, who was he to forbid him such a simple request?

"Well, this isn't certainly what I had in mind for location or the method I wanted to tell you with, but if you want this, I guess I have no choice then."

"Just hurry up with it! Say 'no!', say 'I don't want to be with you like that' and we can get all of this behind us!"

At those words, Sasuke stopped the passionate words he was about to blurt and his facial expressions changed as his eyes took a questioning turn instead of a loving one. "…You want me to reject you?"

"I don't want anything. Just say them and let's get this over with."

"No. you really think that. You believe I'll reject you."

"Well, it's only realistic. Aside from being a man, I'm a person who'd forgotten about you, hurt you once and is still in the phase of 'atoning' for those mistakes. I have no good traits. I have no parents, no money, nothing that would make Uchiha Sasuke feel anything except for friendship for me. A friendship that I hold really close and would wish to lose my sight before losing it. So, no, I'm not hoping, I'm being realistic, and reality says that there's no chance you're feeling anything outside of friendship for me."

Sasuke frowned at the words and he fisted his hands at the insecurity that suddenly rose to his heart at them. "…Naruto, let's say, for example, I feel the same way you do, what would you do then?"

"Nothing. Because there's no need to think of impossible 'what ifs'. I'm living in reality."

"Then, does your reality only accept a solution of friendship between us?"

"Yes. You can never feel anything more."

"Do you want me not to feel anything more?"

Naruto turned his back to the other at this and shook his head. "Sasuke, you can't feel anything more for me."

"How about you stop with what I can and can't feel and tell me what you think would fucking happen had I actually felt the same way you do?!"

There was a long pause that followed Sasuke outburst and biting his lips, Naruto released faintly.

"…Nothing would happen. It would be a nice dream, just like the one you've seen with me in it. A nice dream that I will need to awake from before I sink hard."

"So, you're saying that even if I felt the same way you do, there's no chance of us being together?"

At this Naruto turned his head and Sasuke forced his heart to quiet down at the beautiful eyes reflecting the faint moonlight in their blue midst. "That's exactly what I'm saying, Sasuke."

"You're not going to change your mind?"

"There's nothing to change my mind off. Regardless of what we want, we live in two different worlds, you can't cross into mine and I can't cross into yours. It's hard, but I'm willing to live with it. As long as we have our friendship, we'll always have a bond we can get back to. So, no…I don't want to risk losing it to anything. I hope you can understand this, Sasuke."

Sasuke rose slowly from the sand. The beautiful picture his eyes were seeing the minute he woke up had so cruelly been crushed under the feet of the person who he'd given his heart to. And there were no more words to mend it, no more threads to fix it, for it was broken. There was no more need to believe, feel or hope. Because just now, before he'd even spoken or released a loving syllable out…

Naruto had decided their fate.

* * *

Sakura folded her hands on her chest and stifled the snort of annoyance her nerves were trying to push out. Her annoyance only increased at the new add to the table that made her gloomy mood turn heavier, having had enough of this depression so early in the morning. She took hold of the arm of whom she'd known as Hinata's cousin and pulled the long haired raven aside.

"Alright, I know you're his best pal, what the hell happened yesterday? Today was supposed to be lovey-dovey 'til we all die of their sickness, but it's nothing like that at all, it's a graveyard!"

"Humm…" Neji tilted his head to the side. "I can't see what you're talking about; they both look fine to me."

Sakura rolled her eyes and pointed a very annoyed finger to the two corpses barely munching on their supposedly yummy breakfast. "Just fricking look! Naruto looks as if his soul had been ripped out of his ribcage and your friend doesn't look any better either!"

Neji frowned at her words, and he took a better look at the two. And her words couldn't have described the situation any better. Naruto was clearly in no mood to eat let alone talk and Sasuke was giving the _'stay away or you're going to die'_ vibe, making the other people sitting on the table nervous, except for his Gaara who ate as if nothing was wrong.

"Well, now that I see it, it really does seem like something happened."

"Doesn't it? I thought that if he'd come here, Naruto would be able to solve all of this love misunderstanding out."

"Oh," Neji raised a brow. "You know about it?"

"He couldn't have hid it even if he tried. Sasuke-kun told you?"

"Yep. Although it was hell 'til he spilled it, but he did."

"So, what do you think happened between them?"

"Last thing I know, Sasuke had gone after Naruto last night to fix everything back to normal. Maybe something happened instead of them returning back to each other."

"Something? Like what?"

The long haired raven shrugged with a mischievous smile. "It's for them to know, and for us to find out."

Sakura's mimicked the other's expression and got up with a smirk of her own.

"I like how you're thinking."

"I think you're the first woman to say something like that."

"Well then, that's what being unique is all about. So, how can we handle this?"

"For now, let's finish breakfast and you try to get any information out of Naru-chin, while I will handle Sasuke…after he cools off that is."

Sakura nodded. "Sounds like a plan to me."

With that the two returned back to the table. The rest of breakfast was a bitch. And as soon as everyone was finished with it, they started leaving. The first one was Sasuke, who so rudely stood up and left the dining hall, he didn't give any introduction to himself or excuses for his intrusion. All were left as gaps, in which Sakura was forced to fill for the Ass. On Naruto's side, it was apparent to Sakura that he was depressed, with something to say but couldn't. She excused herself right after he did and made to stalk her friend to spill everything to her.

Actually, she had planned to do that the moment she opened her room's door and found him sleeping on the hallway beside it this morning. She had asked him what was wrong but Naruto only gave her a fake, happy smile that made her want to punch his sorry assed face for it, but didn't. Then she waited, to see if there was probably any fight between Naruto and the two who'd intruded on his room. Yet, when she saw Sasuke come down so proudly for breakfast and sit on the other, far end of the table, away from Naruto, she knew it had something to do with him. And now, she was going to find out all that had happened and wreck the supposedly happy atmosphere.

Getting the perfect opportunity with Naruto going inside his room, she followed and clicked the door locked behind her.

"Naruto. We need to talk."

She came upon him lying flat on his stomach on the big, comfortable bed that had been robbed away from him by a demanding Neji.

"Not right now, Sakura-chan, I'm so tired. I just want to sleep and hopefully just disappear."

"No. you won't sleep until you fucking explain to me what had all that been about. Why aren't you being lovey-dovey with his highness?"

Naruto dug his face deeper into the pillows if possible and it was a whole minute 'til he released his face back to answer his long timed friend. "Sasuke hates me."

Her eyes went wide as her brain started processing, and with visible utmost surprise, she said. "He rejected you?!"

"Well…h–"

"There's no fricking way he'd reject you! Naruto, he fucking adores you! No, I refuse to believe that! I've never read a guy wrong and that one was aiming for you from the first day I met him! There must be something wrong. It's just unbelievable that he'd reject you…wait," She quieted down and her brows met in a question. "Why did he reject you? Was it because you're poor? No, that's not it. He didn't care about that when he befriended your ass at the hospital, so, your looks? No, you're handsome, even cute. Then why? Why would he reject you?!"

Naruto had to sit upright and hold his hand up to stop his friend from ranting any longer to be able to explain to her. "Umm…the thing is…Sasuke didn't really say…in…words. But I know it, he doesn't want me, and he has no other choice but to reject me. Why would he want someone like me? I have nothing to offer, while he has everything. So, it only makes sense that he should be with someone who can give him the same things he's offering, not with someone like me."

"Wait, wait, wait…let me get this straight here. He rejected you but he didn't?"

"Umm…yeah…well…no, but…I guess yes…?"

Sakura rolled her eyes at the indecisive blond and put it in bold letters for him to answer. "Alright. A yes or no Question. Did Uchiha Sasuke tell you that he's not in love with you?"

Azure orbs avoided her question and Sakura pulled the eyes back to her and glared to him that no games are appreciated, so with a sigh, Naruto answered, truthfully.

"…No, he didn't."

"Then what's the problem? If he didn't reject you, why aren't you two in each other's arms as we speak?"

"It's me. I didn't allow him a chance to say it. I blocked all the doors before his mouth could say them. I'm the one who's forced him to hate me."

Sakura shook her head. "I'm afraid I'm not following you, Naruto."

"Sasuke…if he said he loves me, and we're a couple. This will only make it hard for him down the road. Look, life with me isn't easy, you know it. And life with him, isn't easy, he knows it. So, when you add a disaster to a disaster, what would happen?"

"Naruto, you're not a disaster, I don't know about him, but you're not."

"Yeah, yeah, just answer my question. What will you get?"

Scowling at being dismissed just like that, Sakura answered. "A catastrophe, I believe."

"Exactly. Tragedy, ruin and heartbreak. Not to mention we're both men, so starting a family is out of the question and I'd hate being the reason why Sasuke never knows the joys of being a father. That's why, it's better for us to forget any feelings of love and just to stay as normal friends."

Sakura smiled gently at her friend. Everything he said was right, and she understood how much courage he was showing to give up his love, which could be the love of his life for reality and happiness of the other, but…

"Could you do it, Naruto? Could you just sit by watching him live away from you?"

"I can try. For his sake, I'll try."

"He might grow out of love for you, and every time you'd see him with another person in the place where you should be, you'll hurt. You will reach a place where you don't think you can even be friends with him anymore, and that's when you'll really fall and see how much you've given of yourself. Can you do that, Naruto? Can you live a life like that? Just watching and never crossing the line."

Naruto clenched his hands hard and Sakura held into them afraid that Naruto would dig too hard and cause himself a cut. It was only recently that his old injuries have healed and she didn't think the raven would forgive her if Naruto's hand sustained anymore injuries due to his stupidity.

"…If it got too hard for me to handle, I'd leave him."

"Walking away from a love won't be that easy."

"Then, you tell me what to do, Sakura?! Since you look like you have all the answers, why not tell me what to fucking do about this pain in my chest?! How can I get rid of it?! How can I be someone who can help him and not ruin him in the same time?! I have thought about this for as far as I can remember! I fucking know that Sasuke loves me back! But if he spoke those words, it's the end! The end for everything between us! We can't even become friends if he did!"

"Why? Why does it have be like that? Just because you love each other, why does it have to be the end for you? Love is a wonderful thing, Naruto. And I know you've only had bad experience with it but that doesn't mean that this one would be bad. You can't just give up before you try."

Naruto fought hard for the overwhelming emotions inside him to subside but that never happened and before he knew it, his eyes were leaking.

"I've tried, Sakura. From the moment I realized I have deep feelings for Sasuke, I've tried. Every day was so fucking sweet it killed me and I was falling harder. I couldn't continue like that. I couldn't hate him; with every fibre in my body I love him. But that wasn't good. If I linked us together then there won't be any way out for Sasuke to escape from. And that's something I couldn't live with. If something happened to him because of me I'd never be able to forgive myself!"

And the only thing Sakura was able to do was hold her aching friend and hope for the bottled up feelings inside of his heart to find a way and release before the human in her arms really goes and explodes with them, for a sorrowful love was always the most painful type of love, and she feared Naruto the agony that would come with such heartbreak.

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**Thanks for the read and the wait, see you in chapter eleven and people review, I'll be waiting! :D **


	11. Chapter Eleven

**Author's Notes:**

**Hi again, everyone! Life is good on my part; school is starting soon, so I'll have to finish this story before. Anyways, we have two more chapters to go, the countdown is starting! Thanks to the followers, reviewers and favourite-rs lol. It always makes me happy to open my inbox right after posting a chapter and seeing all of the alerts! 3 Thanks a million, I love you all! And a special thanks to my loyal Beta, XxDreaming of RealityxX, for her work, you know how much I love you! So, on to the story, everyone, and as always, enjoy~**

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"Sasuke. It's time."

The raven raised his eyes from the black desk he had claimed as his own and from the pile of files in front of him, before nodding absentmindedly to his silver haired bodyguard.

"Has everything been settled?"

"Mostly. We have a little problem though, but it will be fixed in no time."

"Make sure you do that, there's no room for errors this time around. You understand what this will all lead to, don't you?"

Kakashi sighed, and tried to reason with his current employer to sort this out at a later date. "I seriously wish that you'd take another day to think this over, it's not right to just flush everything down the toilet without even batting an eye."

Sasuke took a deep inhale of his brand cigarette and sent the other a silent glare. "There's no other choice. I can't back down now. I've made up my mind, you know that."

"But, I don't w–"

"Enough. I won't back down on my words, and this is a decision you have to make right now. Whose side are you on? Mine or his?"

Kakashi closed his dark eyes and bowed to the young prince, heaving another sigh. "You know my loyalty will always be with your best interest, and you."

"Then I don't want to hear another pipe about this from you. It's a closed case."

"Hai."

"Good. Let's go."

Nodding to his master, Kakashi opened the door out of the office he'd seen the younger Uchiha go into for as far as he knew him, and allowed it to close automatically once they were out. Actually, in all the years he'd been in charge of Sasuke's protection, he'd stuck like glue to him. Doing the job that he was entrusted to on that rainy night where the late Uchiha had picked his beaten-up form off the streets and offered him a warm home. And as much as he hated to admit it, he couldn't do anything to prevent Sasuke from severing the honourable ties he had always addressed as nothing but holy.

They made a turn and a few employees nodded to their boss while Kakashi walked behind, covering any opening that would tempt any avenger to strike at Sasuke with. He knew exactly what they were walking into right now, and the only thing he could do to aid the kid entering with confidence before him was to stay beside him and support in any way possible.

But, Kakashi knew…with the overprotective raven they were going to see, the one who was always moving puppets behind the scenes, Sasuke's plan wouldn't be an easy thing to go through with. He released a sound sigh inside his brain as they approached the big, fancy meeting hall that was going to decide the fate of their upcoming lives…if they had any that is.

With complete confidence, the guards on each side of the door bowed to the raven and opened said door to the brightly lit room. Sasuke acted his old, cold self and paid them no attention. He walked inside, seeing only the target that had him get out of bed this dreadful morning. And without fail, from across the table, two pair of warm black orbs met his fierce ones; Sasuke snorted at the fake warmth and took a seat at the far side of the table.

"Sasuke…how have you been?"

"Sick now that I've seen you."

"Tsk, tsk, tsk," Itachi smiled at the repulsive mask Sasuke had on. "That's not a way to talk to your big brother. Now, you want to ask me for a favour, don't you? If so, there's a certain amount of respect I must demand from you. Therefore, we're going to do this again. Sasuke, my dear, beautiful, lovely younger brother, how have you been?"

Sasuke bit his lips, feeling the familiar, old feeling of how weak he was when Itachi would pull that hidden strength of his to intimidate him roll within his veins. His eyes looked down, that warmth was suffocating him. Breathing the same air as the monster before him was suffocating him. But he had to do this. If he ever wanted to be free and claim his prize, he had to do this. He had to shed the child that was shuddering from his big brother's disapproval looks to the dirty ground and get out the strong businessman who feared none.

Opening his eyes again with a new sense of courage, Sasuke looked the other straight in the eyes and said.

"Fine, Itachi-san. How about you?"

"So, 'Itachi-san' it is? You've already grown up, eh? Too grown up for your old '_Nii-san'_ now?"

"I'm not here to talk about the past. I'm here to determine the future. So, if you may, don't bring up things that have been long forgotten."

Itachi's pale, long fingers started twirling the pen in his hands and he rested his beautiful face on his right palm. "Things of the past are what determine the future, dear brother. That was the first lesson I taught you, or have you forgotten that, also?"

"I've come to learn from experience that you don't need a past to form a future. And this is why I'm here today. I want you, the head of Uchiha Corp., to approve to my resignation from every post there is. I also wish to include the request of disowning me as your brother formally and officially from all records. I'd love nothing more than you to agree to this simple request of mine."

"Hmmm. What makes you think I'd allow you to throw away your name, regardless of your posts?"

Sasuke nodded with a business smile and replied. "Because I no longer need it, it's a burden I keep on carrying and I'm sick of it. I don't need it anymore to be able to define myself; I can do that skilfully without it. And…"

"And?"

"And, it's in the way."

Itachi raised his head from his little game with the pen in hand, and met Sasuke's eyes with his own. "Oh, let me guess. The way of your life with that joyful child, his name was Naruto, am I right?"

Sasuke suppressed the will that rose inside of him when his brother spoke the name of his beloved from the same lips that had ordered the hit on their parents and again fisted his hands to keep from unleashing at his brother and doing the thing that Kakashi feared him doing…massacring his only remaining relative.

"I don't wish to discuss any personal affairs with you. I came here to let you know of the things I want to let go of, and I'm not leaving until you agree to them."

"And you think I'd just agree to it so simply?"

"No. I honestly think you won't agree to any shit I say. I mean, why would you? You fricking killed our parents just for power! Why would you give a shit about my happiness? But…I still hold my responsibilities right, and I won't abandon my employees just for myself without giving you heads up. So, for your best interest, you should agree."

"Or what?"

"Or I'll be declaring war on you."

Itachi looked calmly back into lethal, hating, murderous, black orbs that matched his in their darkness. He smirked.

"You truly are my little brother. You can refuse it as much as you want, but the blood that flows inside my veins is the same as yours. We're kin – no matter what you think of doing, or throwing away for that matter. You'll always be connected to me. You will never be able to remove me from your side."

Sasuke snarled at the words. "Who said I want to remove you or whatever? I just want to try my life without danger. You're danger. The Uchiha name is danger. I want to convert into a life without danger, that's all."

"That's a pleasure for someone naïve to uphold. You know life very well. There's no such thing as 'without danger' for us, a peaceful life is a boring life. A normal life is a boring life. We need danger to breathe. You need me to breathe."

"I need him to breathe. I need you to die." Sasuke glared hard at the calm human being opposite of him. "Please don't mix verbs together. I'd be very troubled if you did that."

At this, Itachi released a sound laugh. "How about a little game then?"

"I don't want to play anything with you."

"What the conditions you ask? Well, it's easy," Kakashi had to stifle the laugh that was trying hard to get out of his mouth at the way Itachi had ignored his brother's comment and how Sasuke's face turned as red as a bursting tomato at a summer heat with it. Sasuke sent the silver haired a tiny glare that told him it was time to shut his trap, the bodyguard rolled his eyes at it but obeyed. "All that you need to do is answer me three full questions and you can get your wish."

Knowing that there was no way to get out of this one, Sasuke rolled back into his chair and said in an annoyed tone. "What wish would that be?"

Smiling, Itachi chirped. "Killing me, of course."

Suddenly the room went quiet at this, and Sasuke felt his face drain from all emotions as his heart stood still. Get a chance to kill his nemesis? Without any blood shed from his side and no interference from anyone? Just like that? That was a dream that hadn't even appeared in his dreams. It was a wish he feared to pronounce. But it was out there, and his brother knew it. Now…he was given it. For real. His heart stopped beating for a second.

Itachi raised his hands to stop one of his guards when he wanted to comment on the rashness of the situation and continued talking to his baby brother. "You won't need to worry about anything. My head can be severed by your hands or if you can't do it, I can order one of my men to do it, or…if you think I'm bluffing, we can have one of your men do it, Kakashi for example. I'm sure he won't mind finishing me off for you."

The silver haired male looked away when Itachi's relaxed eyes were directed at him.

"What's the catch?"

"Excuse me?"

"You won't just give me your head on a silver plate just because you want to play. There's something up your sleeve, what's your catch?"

"Not a catch. I don't use such unhandy methods. You should ask, what would happen if I don't win?"

And apparently, Itachi was waiting for him to ask that question, Sasuke complied. "Alright. What would happen if I don't win?"

The calm orbs that were sending chills down his systems turned into fierce, serious ones in a second, and Sasuke felt his legs loose flexibility as his head broke into a cold sweat. "You'd have to forget any stupid requests like these and never demand something as absurd as this again, understand, _Otouto-kun_?"

Sasuke took five minutes to think through this fully. He closed his ears to everything in the world and focused on the pros and cons of this deal. He'd intended to get out of this with something and he knew Itachi wouldn't agree just like that, so he was ready for any blood to be shed. But this…this was too easy, just three, lousy questions. With them he could get rid of all of his problems and live life happily. The prize was greater than the risk, and he was willing to gamble this one out.

He opened clear eyes at the bunch in the hall and nodded to his brother. "I accept. I'll play your game."

"Knew you'd see things my way."

"But before we start, dismiss everyone."

Itachi smiled. "I was about to do that. Everyone, you heard him, all of you, get out, please."

Kakashi looked at the two brothers and he sighed before he stepped out. "You two should know that I don't agree to this, and I don't think your late father would either."

Sasuke glared at his bodyguard whilst Itachi just gave him a knowing smile and nodded to him to close the door behind him. Walking gently, Itachi locked it as to not have anyone interfere between him and his brother and took a closer seat to Sasuke. The raven quickly looked annoyed at the change in proximity.

"Then? What do you want to ask?"

"You were always the rushing type. But that's what made you so adorable, as well. Do you remember when you used to come to my room and hide under the covers, afraid of the loud, spooky thunder?"

"I don't." Assertively and coldly, Sasuke replied.

Itachi gave off a laugh. "I do. I can still see it."

"Would you get to your questions already? Or was that the question you wanted to ask?"

"No, that wasn't it." Itachi closed his eyes and opened them with another emotion. Sasuke quickly felt his nerves freeze at the warmth coming off of his brother. "My first question is…do you love Uzumaki Naruto?"

And that question had so many traps in it. If he answered with a definitive 'yes', it would mean that Naruto was a weak point that Itachi would be able to target any time he wishes. But if he answered with a 'no', Itachi would immediately know he was lying, and he knew since little that his big bro didn't tolerate well to being lied to. Biting his lips, Sasuke made up his mind. There was no running from truth right now, and if his brother wished to go after Naruto, then he was going to die defending him!

"Yes, I do."

Itachi's smile widened. "Question number two. Are you satisfied with yourself?"

Sasuke took a minute for this one. Was he satisfied with himself? Well, that could be answered at many levels, but his brother wanted a 'yes' or 'no' answer. So, he needed to shorten his philosophical feelings to a minimum and get the juice out of them. What did it mean to be satisfied? He was able to wake up every day. He was able to lead a normal life; of course, his self was still tormenting him, but he was still at peace with it. No…that wasn't right. He wasn't at peace, he would only be at peace with Naruto and being by himself was nothing but turmoil. He hated the nights when he was alone. He hated how his sins would turn into dark nightmares and hunt him every night. And he hated how much he sometimes longed for his only kin to come and help him. But…

Was he or was he not satisfied with himself? That was the question right now and Sasuke was confused as hell as to how he would answer that.

"…I think I'm not. But I'm learning how to. If he's by my side, I know one day I'll be with peace with myself. Even though he doesn't think that, I know it. He's the light in my darkness. So, if he's in my future, I'll definitely be satisfied with myself."

And his brother would have to do with that answer since that question couldn't be answered with a simple 'no' or 'yes'.

Itachi took a moment as the words Sasuke was speaking didn't sound good to his ears. For a moment, just a moment, Sasuke wanted to reach his hand and wipe the distressful look off of his brother's face, like he used to do when they were kids and still oblivious to the cruelty in the world. But he caught himself before he did that and quickly remembered the deaths of their parents to restore his original hatred back into place.

"…Alright. On to number three. This is the final question you're going to hear from me, Sasuke. So, pay attention."

Sasuke nodded. "Who said I wasn't paying attention the first two times?"

Itachi smiled and said. "No one. Then, for my last question, I want to know, Sasuke, are you happy?"

The younger raven felt his world literally freeze at this question and one distant memory started playing inside of his brain. No, multiple distant memories. Itachi always used to ask him this question whenever he had the chance; he told Sasuke once that it was his way of evaluating his brother's happiness scale. Back when Sasuke trusted those dark mazes and loved the company of his brother's arms as they circled around him protectively, he was always keen on it, on being close enough to touch Itachi's silky hair and sooth his back when the genius of the two came home tired after being worked to death by the expectations people had for him.

Sasuke felt his heart beat back to life when his eyes faced the warmth that radiated from his opposite. And instantly, he sprung away from the table.

"Sasuke. Are. You. Happy?"

Those words…they were poisoning his mind. The overwhelming warmth and memories. Those weren't right! He should be hating his brother, not think how gentle and kind his big brother used to be. This was the devil smiling at him, the angelic brother he once loved and cared for had died! Had sunk that night his parents have breathed their last breath in! No longer existed! This was a demon! A demon he should be hating!

Itachi rose softly from the chair he was on and walked towards his brother. With cold hands resembling that of a dead corpse, he reached out, with his mouth asking the question that seemed to drive the other crazy.

"Are you happy? The life you're trying to protect and build away from me, are you happy with that life? Can you clearly say to me that you're happy with it?"

Sasuke swallowed the lump inside his throat and stood his ground. He shook his head, slapped his cheeks, and returned to reality. Any mental tricks would not work on him anymore. He'd grown from that kid fearing thunderstorms and running to his brother's bed for cover. And Itachi had turned from that protective, caring big brother to this murderer who sacked their parents in cold blood.

Looking his brother in the eyes, Sasuke spoke with confidence. "Yes. A life without you in it would definitely be happy. I'll be happy with Naruto, and without you. Right now, you and this name are the only obstacles I have in my path to achieve that! So, no, unless you die and I get rid of that name, I won't be fricking happy!"

"Does that mean you'll be happy once that's done?"

Sasuke snorted and pushed back his brother to get back to his seat, then answered keenly. "You only get three questions and they all have been answered."

Itachi sighed and nodded. "You're right. I got what I asked for. Fine, little brother, you win. You've answered all of my questions right; it's time to claim your prize."

The long haired raven walked towards his left office drawer and pulled out a knife. It was sharp, slick and long and Sasuke's eyes widened. He felt his brother put the knife on his hands and like lightening, they turned icy cold. Itachi sat on the chair next to him and exposed his pale neck for the other to take, softly removing silky hair that would disturb his brother from performing his wish.

Sasuke frowned at the knife and the person two feet away from him. "…This…this is weird! This game of yours is weird! I don't see how I could have failed any of the question and how I couldn't win! Shouldn't there be a part where I also have to ask you questions? This all is so fucking weird!"

Itachi grabbed hard on Sasuke's hand as it was about to drop the sharp knife to the floor and said with a serious tone. "This is a fair game. I ask three questions, you answer the three questions…truthfully. Now, if you'd lied in any one of them, you'd have failed. But you didn't, you gave me the whole naked truth, and I accepted it as a right answer. So, you win. And I lose. A deal is a deal. You get what I promised you with fully. Now, go on, your wish is to kill me, isn't it? Then go ahead."

"I…I…why are you doing this? Killing you shouldn't be so easy! Why are you making it easy?!"

Itachi elicited a kind smile and chirped. "That's because I'm not afraid of death. Now that I know you'll be in good hands, everything else is meaningless, this company, no, this whole world is meaningless to me. I'm your only obstacle, so I'm moving myself out. You can be happy. Live happy with the person you've chosen and I'll take all of your sins with me to the grave."

Sasuke frowned at those words, not liking how much they stirred him inside. "Is this you regretting what you've done and wanting me to kill you for a relieved conscience?"

"You flatter me too much, Sasuke. I've never once regretted what I've done. That night – I'd do it again and I wouldn't care. You just go ahead and kill me then forget everything about me."

Hatred, disgust, regret, remorse, and shame. All of these emotions were running inside Sasuke nerves. He bit his lower lips as hatred surfaced a bit and he brought the knife close to his brother's neck, glazing so softly over the smooth skin. Then disgust had his hatred reinforce, as he felt disgusted with himself for the act he was about to perform. Yet, that didn't last long as regret and remorse soon came to him, what would he do if Naruto knew? Would he continue to love him? Could Naruto love a murderer? Even if he had his reasons, could he really do it as he is right now? Could he kill his brother and then go home as if nothing had happened and then live happily with his beloved?

As the answer to that question came at him hard, shame engulfed his being and bitter, he threw the knife away to the far side of the room. Sasuke then forced his hatred back down and started walking towards the door.

"I won't sully my hands with your blood. And I'll never go your way into solving things. You killed them, that doesn't mean I'll kill you to settle any feelings you still have left, and," before the raven left the room, he turned once more to his big bro and said, "it was how to know who's lying and who's not. That was the first lesson you've taught me. If you're going to remember, remember right."

With that, Sasuke was out of the big hall and Itachi could only release a small smile at this.

"Oh, Sasuke, you're always so adorable that it kills me."

* * *

Sasuke wrapped the covers over his body again. He was still shivering. This was the first time in a long time that he'd come face to face with his brother without one of them being utterly drunk or too pissed off for words. And he couldn't contain his shivers anymore. How big, huge and frightening Itachi was, was always an event that would leave him shuddering. He'd turn six again and disregard any courage he'd have gathered overall of these years. He hated that part of himself and until he got rid of it completely, he knew there was no way he was going to seriously kill his big brother.

Not that he could do that now that he's gone and promised he wouldn't.

Suddenly, the door to his room was opened and without any words, he saw the haze of a blond enter, with a big bag, into his luxurious, grand room. Sasuke only allowed one side of his face out of the covers and the blond intruder recognized now as Naruto quickly clarified the reason for his abrupt visit.

"I just came to get my things. The stuff I had in the dorm wasn't enough, so I'm taking everything I have here back with me."

Sasuke didn't really need to hear anything about that, so he returned back to his hiding. Actually, after that trip, no, after that dreadful night in that trip, when Naruto had flatly told him that there was no future for them together, he hadn't exchanged a word with the blond, and when he got back home, he went straight to Kakashi's house, their former safe house. Leaving the dorm to Naruto to enjoy life alone in. Yet, as much as he knew the blond was hurting, he was in an equal amount of pain.

Naruto watched from where he stood how the raven-haired male had just ignored his presence and disappeared under his mountain of covers, with his back given to Naruto, and he didn't like that one bit. It was true that he didn't want a romantic relationship with Sasuke, but he still wanted to be friends. And as hard as he knew it was going to be, or how he was going to step on his heart many of these days, he knew he didn't want to break away from Sasuke on such bad terms. Since bad terms tend to make people's hearts icy.

So, with good intentions, Naruto walked towards the dark bed and sat on the far side, close to Sasuke's hidden feet.

"Umm…Sasuke, I just wanted to say that I don't want to go away like this. I still want us to remain friends. I know it'll be hard, for both of us, but we have to try. We can't just part away like this. It's too sad and I don't want it!"

For a second, Naruto thought the other hadn't heard him, but then a small whisper emitted from the layers of blankets covering Sasuke.

"…I couldn't kill him. I had it in my hands and I couldn't do it."

Naruto scowled at the words and pealed two blankets to be able to hear right then asked with confusion. "Kill who?"

"Itachi. He was right there, giving me a knife to slash his neck with and I chickened out."

Sasuke was still keeping covers on his face so Naruto wasn't able to see any of the facial features he loved so much, and was only able to detect one eye as Sasuke let it out and gave him privilege into seeing his crappy condition. Naruto took comfort in that.

"Well, if it means much, I'm glad you didn't do it."

Sasuke stayed silent at that and Naruto took off his socks, hat, jacket, then crawled into the covers alongside Sasuke. He honestly had no idea what had happened with the two brothers or what caused their relationship to reach the phase of killing each other, but he could clearly see what Sasuke needed right now. And it wasn't a load of interrogating questions, either.

Crawling 'til he reached the level of Sasuke's body, Naruto slipped under one blanket and wrapped one arm over Sasuke's midsection while the other petted him softly on the head from behind. He permitted the other distance with closeness. He wanted Sasuke to know that he wasn't alone, but at the same time that he wasn't rushed into anything he didn't want to say. And that seemed to be the right method for the raven gently pushed his back back into Naruto's warm embrace. Earning himself a smile from Naruto's lips that had missed the closeness of the other for the past week.

"…I'm weak. I had the knife in my hand, I know how to fight, even if I didn't, slashing it wouldn't have been hard. But I couldn't. He looked too defeated to me…I felt as if I was slaughtering an innocent, hurt bird. But he's no innocent and far from hurt. Even though I knew I shouldn't be feeling anything but hatred for the one who took everything away from me, I couldn't…I still remember. I couldn't forget the big brother I loved very much, no matter how hard I tried to do that. I couldn't…he was…"

Naruto held the raven hard. Even when the cold, harsh voice he loved started cracking, he held hard. Even when he could hear faint sobs, he held hard and not even once did he turn Sasuke's face to him or try to see the face the other tried to hide from him. He understood well. The pain inside Sasuke was far too great for something as simple as killing another human being to heal, and he was glad that his love was human enough to detect that he shouldn't be killing his own brother.

Even if that brother had committed a deadly sin.

The blond stayed silent, and after a while, when the sobs turned quiet and Sasuke's breathing was coming of more regularly, he removed another blanket and was finally able to be on the same level as Sasuke. His eyes missed, his hands longed to touch, and his mouth committed to memory. Every organ in his body was asking him to get closer, but Sasuke was in a vulnerable condition right now, and he wasn't as sneaky to take advantage of someone he loved when they really just wanted his comfort. Besides, when he was in a shitty condition that night when his memories have returned, Sasuke was nothing more than a gentleman. And that's what he was going to be.

Naruto relaxed onto the silky sheets and pulled Sasuke closer. Hugging was never one of the bad things to do. And friends hug friends to comfort them. He assured himself with that thought as his nose took a small unfriendly act and sniffed the dark locks it was immersed in so fully.

His heart throbbed and instead of happiness, pain was shut to his systems. He knew why he was feeling pain, and Sakura's words that day came back to haunt him. He shouldn't have been stupid to get close when he shouldn't, but if he wanted to keep friends, there were times when he'd have to suck it up and offer his comfort, he just had to take this time as practice for those upcoming times, and if he could excel this, he was going to excel all.

"Naruto, you awake?"

The blond nodded. "Won't sleep in just an hour."

"Yes, you would. I know you."

Naruto grinned. "Been a while for that shitty self of yours to appear."

"Just shut up and listen, Dobe." Sasuke snorted back.

"I'm listening."

"…I love you."

And that will Naruto was trying so hard to control seemed to just simply crumble in front of his eyes. He jolted back, but before he was able to leave the bed, Sasuke's strong hands pinned him in place and before he knew what hit him, he was being pushed down by fierce, black irises that paralyzed his every movement.

"Sasuke, get off."

"Not until you listen to what I have to say. You have no right to be the one to determine whether or not we together will work. I'm in love. That's something I won't run away or hide from, and neither should you. I already know why you don't want us to be together, I bet you're thinking something along the lines of 'I'd be ruining his life' or 'he'd never be able to have any normal family if I'm around'. I'll tell you what, Uzumaki, I was never a family man. For as long as I can remember, I've lived on my own. And I'm not going to lose you just to have something that I don't want nor need in a faraway future that I don't even know I'll live to see. So, I'm picking you and telling you that I love you. Not as brother, a friend or a companion who knows similar hardships, but as a lover. I love you as a lover. I want to kiss you, hug you, and fuck you! God, I want to fuck you! So, for both of our sakes, stop denying 'us'!"

Naruto's eyes went wide as his face flamed with the words and the sexy, hungry way Sasuke was looking at him with. He quickly tried to push his own nasty thoughts to the back of his mind and surfaced with the sane ones that had been fighting to concur his head for a while now.

"S-Sasuke…enough please. I can't do it. I'll not do it. You have to control yourself and open your eyes to see reality."

"Reality? You want me to see reality?"

"Yes. We can't live in our own little world just like that, you have to take into consideration who you are and what's expected of you."

"Okay, let me tell you a little story then. This morning, I woke up, fully intending to get rid of anything that could get between us being together, which is my name and my brother. I went to him to disown myself from the Uchiha tree. I want to be dead to them, I'll gladly change my name as soon as he sends me back the papers, and my brother…well, turned out I'm just too weak to kill him. But he won't be a problem to stand between us. So, now, there's really nothing that forbids me and you to hook up."

Naruto's brows met together at the words and he pushed hard, trying to get rid of Sasuke's hold, but to no avail…his strength wasn't on his side here.

"Look, Sasuke, no matter what you do, or how many times you change your name, in my eyes you'll always be an Uchiha. So, there's no need to disown yourself from anything; since that won't make me change my mind back. And again, I'm happy you didn't kill him because that would have been a big problem to clean up. Now, please get off and let me leave with the promise to be friends."

Sasuke retrieved his hands to fold them on his chest, looking with disbelieving eyes at the blond under him. "You must be kidding me here! I'm throwing everything for you, and you tell me you still don't want me?!"

"It's not that I don't want you, I want you, I want you so much! But I can't have you! You have your own world and that world has no place for me. Do you think I'd be happy to snatch you away from everything you know?"

"Naruto," Sasuke eased at the struggling look inside his beloved's eyes and said with a gentle tone. "I also think I'll be taking you out of your own world, from everything you know. But that doesn't mean the end. We can build a new world together. Just for us, a world where you and I can be, and it will have some of your world and some of mine in it. Being from different worlds doesn't mean we should keep away from each other, and thinking that, it's just silly."

"It's not silly to me. What if you regret it someday? Do you think I'll be able to let go down the road and just return to life by myself? Because, Uchiha, I can't! If I got used to you, I'll never be able to live apart!"

"That's what I want exactly. I want to spoil you rotten 'til you can't breathe without me."

"Ass! Are you even listening to me?!"

"Yes, I am. And I want you to fall for me deeper than you are now. You'll also have to trust me when I tell you this, you've been my love for over a few years right now, and I'd never let you go. So, you better not let me go so easily either!"

Naruto bit his lip as his emotions were starting to cloud his judgment. "Sasuke…you don't know what you're getting yourself into. I'm full of tragedies and problems."

"Well then, nice to meet you, Uzumaki Naruto, we have so much in common already."

"It's not time to be kidding."

Sasuke smirked and lowered his face to a whisper. "But if I don't do it, you're going to cry, my queen."

Naruto threw a lousy punch that was caught by Sasuke's hands. "Who are you calling a queen, you fag?!"

"Oh well, I don't mind being a 'fag' if you're willing to escort me down this hellish path."

And with that husky voice, those hypnotizing, half-laded eyes, Naruto felt his self-control leave outside through the open window as his tanned hands circled around Sasuke's neck and brought him closer to meet their lips in a hungry, hot, zero-close-to-being-chaste kiss. A kiss that was mingled with sweat, saliva and a tinge of tears that neither knew who the source was.

Naruto said goodbye to his failed attempt at being just friends and allowed his self to drown in sweet, sweet love that had him paralyzed with happiness.

* * *

"I seem to be helping you to do these things quite a lot these days." Sakura whined as another box was given to her, she tightened her bandana onto her fallen locks and made to carry the box of utensils and kitchen wares up the stairs.

Naruto smiled sheepishly. "Sorry to trouble you, Sakura. But I didn't want you to miss out on helping me move."

"Yeah, yeah, sugar me with nice words. Anyways, tell me again, why are you moving?"

"Sasuke said the dorm is too small for him to live at."

"And you're just going to follow his every whim, right?"

Naruto shrugged, opening the door of the elevator to her now that they passed the front stairs, then dragging his own box inside. "You can't really say 'no' to an Uchiha, especially when this Uchiha happens to be the one you're in love with."

"Ohoo, look who's boosting right now."

"It's all thanks to you, Sakura, really, I haven't been able to thank you properly for your words back then, so thank you."

She gave him a puzzled look as they exited the elevator and walked the small distance towards the new apartment Sasuke had bought for them to live in. "As far as I know, I didn't do anything that would make you thank me."

"Yes you did. You were there with me when I was making hard decisions and actually, if you hadn't called Sasuke to come that night, we may not have known each other's true intentions."

"Nope. You could. You live with him, there's bound to be a time where you two would meet and talk. And as far as I can remember, you two weren't on good terms when that vacation came to an end. So, I don't think there's a need to thank me."

"Just take the damn '_thank you'_ and shut it. He won't stop talking about it 'til you do." The voice of Sasuke rang behind them with a box of his own. Sakura snorted at him.

"You keep out of it, no one asked you." She directed a glare to Sasuke who ignored her and went inside his new apartment, as for Naruto, she looked at him and sighed. "Although I don't see why I should be accepting your thanks since I did nothing, I would. Now, you can rest assured."

"Yes, I can, thank you again, Sakura-chan."

"You seriously just want someone to thank to show how grateful and happy you are, don't you?" She glared at her own annoying best friend now.

Naruto flashed her his trademark grin and walked ahead of her to drop his box on what would become the living room. A soft nip on his ear was given, and playfully he turned into Sasuke arms. The raven gave him a tiny kiss.

"We still have a lot of work ahead of us for this to become a nice apartment, Sasuke."

"No, we don't. We can arrange everything tomorrow, or we can just call people to do that for us."

"Nah…I want to do this myself. If this is going to be our home, I want to feel like I did some effort into it."

"That's why we're moving stuff ourselves instead of hiring help."

"I wouldn't mind being paid though," The calm tone jolted Naruto to push his raven lover away from him and send a small smile behind to the cool, lilac orbs that stared back into his azure ones. "Oh, you don't need to be shy now. You won't be doing something I haven't seen before."

"Go away, you pest. He doesn't like public exposures like you do." Sasuke quickly started defending his boy.

Gaara came out from one of the rooms and inserted himself into the conversation before Neji said something that would inflame an unnecessary tension or a fight.

"Naruto, come, I need your opinion regarding the distribution of the chairs."

The blond nodded, glad to be taken out of the upcoming fight and said. "Okay. Though I think whatever method you've ordered them in will be fascinating since you've a painter's sense of art."

"Oh, Gaara-kun, you paint?" Sakura said, getting out of the kitchen and heading towards the room Gaara was talking about with the other two.

The redhead nodded. "Sometimes."

"You any good?"

"…sometimes."

Naruto smacked his modest friend on the back and made to boost about him. "He's just shy, Sakura. His paintings are wonderful! They are exposed in galleries, famous art galleries, too! And he orders heavy cash for them, and they sell at an amazing speed!"

The girl rolled her eyes at her best friend and said. "Naruto, you really are in the boasting mode today, aren't you?"

He shrugged with a smile at her as they entered the room. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Sure you don't."

Whatever Naruto was thinking to say to his friend was lost as the room the artist had arranged made them stand in awe. It was brilliant. A wall of windows matched with Colonial blue as a hue, then harmonized with architectural designed tables –those tables he remembered were brought in together by the standing redhead – and finishing with a rattan rug to give a truly sophisticated result. It was simple, elegant and breathy. Naruto didn't even think he'd be able to pull something like that with his crappy sense of fashion. True to what they say, artists do view the world differently. So happily, he gave his redhead friend a pat on the shoulder at the amazing work he'd done and made to wander the beautiful ornaments.

"That's fantastic, Gaara! I wouldn't have done it any better myself."

"Try never, Naruto. This room…it looks out of a magazine, you're just incredible, Gaara-kun, to be able to pull something like this in just half an hour." Sakura seconded the opinion of her best pal.

The redhead didn't understand why they thought a simple room like this was both 'fantastic' and 'incredible', but if it made them happy, then nothing else mattered. He nodded a silent thanks to the two and suddenly Neji popped into the room, calling.

"You three, the pizza we've ordered is here. Get your asses out or you won't find a thing to eat."

Naruto nodded and walked out followed by his two friends. He found his darling already sitting on their lovely brown couch, with everything arranged, plates, utensils, juices and cups on the table. Naruto hopped on the empty space beside Sasuke and when everyone was sitting with a plate in hand, he opened the boxes of the delivered pizza for them to dine on. This was their first meal, in their first real home and he was having it with the people he loved the most. Sure, he would have loved nothing more than to invite Iruka-sensei and Kakashi-san to the table, but Sasuke had said it was best not to disturb them now that he'd given Kakashi a nice, long vacation to tend to his own business, and who was he to force Sasuke to go back on his word?

Naruto pulled himself a nice, big slice and was about to put it in his mouth when Sasuke's lips were quicker and half of his pizza was engulfed inside his dark cave. Frowning, Naruto softly elbowed his love interest, telling him how much he disliked his food being taken from right under his nose, Sasuke just smirked and acted as if nothing wrong had happened.

"So, you two are together and all?" Gaara was the one to open the conversation. Naruto blinked innocently, then his face released bright red colours as he tried to suppress the embarrassment and joy that simple question held. Seeing as how his love had frozen in place, Sasuke chose to answer the question.

"Yes…and unless he has other thoughts, I plan to continue like that for what's left of my life."

At this declaration, Naruto's face lost all colours known to man and masked in a wonderful hue of redness. Neji released an amused laugh when Naruto's ears started giving off smoke.

"Sasuke, I don't think Naru-chin can handle any more of your love confessions."

"Not to mention I don't want to hear them when I'm eating, the sight alone is enough," Sakura added, hoping that the two males would act a little courteous in front of her and leave their flirting to the bedroom. "This much love is toxic."

"Well then, I've been intoxicated for a very long time." Sasuke replied brushing Naruto's golden locks and returning the frozen male back to life.

"Um…S-Sakura is right, Sasuke. This is time for food…stop romancing me!"

"You're not coming off very convincing with that face of yours, it pleads for me to romance you."

Naruto shook his head, trying to return his heart back to normal alongside his face. "T-That's because you keep on rattling me!"

"Hmph. I have the right to rattle you; God only knows how much you've rattled me yourself."

Before the word battle could turn into plain sexual harassment and Sakura would be forced to view something that would forever damage how she views her best friend, the redhead said in a bold, calm, certain tone that left all around the table stare at him with wide, startled eyes.

"Neji. Marry me."

It took everyone except for Neji about three minutes to make sure the other wasn't just throwing another one of his very-hard-to-get jokes and was actually talking for real, whilst Neji was just frowning to the male opposite of him as if he'd lost his mind completely.

"Excuse me?" The long haired raven had asked, seeing as how everyone was waiting for him to answer the question that wasn't even asked as a question.

"I said, marry me."

"Why?"

"Because I want to."

"What makes you think _I_ want to?"

"…Because you do."

Neji's frown turned into an annoyed scowl, but he contained his annoyed self and asked calmly. "When and where have I told you that I wish to marry you?"

"Don't you want to marry me?"

"That wasn't what I asked."

"You haven't said it, but I want it and since it always turns out that what I want and what you want are the same thing, then that also means you want to marry me."

"No, that doesn't mean it. And that rule of yours is wrong. If you felt like eating rice and I felt like eating chicken, then we won't be eating the same thing and hence, won't want the same thing. So, my answer to that demand of yours is no. I don't want to get married and certainly not to you."

Gaara looked at the male before his with furred, invisible eyebrows. "But if you want chicken and I want rice, we can simply cook rice with chicken. A very delicious dish. Besides, why don't you want it? We love each other."

And silently Sakura smacked her face at the all gay community that she was befriending without her knowledge, and continued eating, watching the amusing play unfold before her eyes.

"Where does it say that every two who loved each other have to marry?"

"In your family's bible. It's their rules. And I know how much you value those rules, even if you try to deny them yourself, you're a very ethnic person deep down and I'm sure you won't want to live your life without honouring something you treasure."

Neji released a sigh and stood up. "Gaara, if your reason for marriage is this then I repeat, I won't marry you. I don't want to marry you. I don't want to marry period."

"…I don't understand."

The long haired raven rolled his eyes and took hold of Gaara's hand, hauling him up. "Sasuke, I'm borrowing one of your rooms."

"Keep away from the master one! I don't want your freaking semen to dirty my sheets!"

Neji nodded and walked, dragging an innocently baffled looking Gaara behind him. Sakura had to giggle at the view and put another slice of pizza into her mouth.

"Those two are something really. I wonder if Gaara will be alright. He surprised me suddenly saying that." Naruto said in a worried tone.

"Neji won't do anything to harm him…much, maybe just knock some sense into him."

"But I don't think he needs any sense to be knocked into him, that was a man who knew exactly what he wanted," Sakura said. "And he wanted to marry another man."

Naruto sweat-dropped at her words. "Sakura-chan, last time I checked, marriage between two males is a no-no in Konoha."

"They can always just move to another place where it's acceptable. I've heard that there are some countries that are encouraging other places to have a support for same sex marriage. Anyways, for me I think it's very romantic that he wants to marry him."

"Hmm…then I take it that you have no objections to me proposing to Naruto?" Sasuke said with a smirk.

Like a tiger with its baby taken away by the hunters, Sakura flew and took Naruto protectively into her arms away from the Big Bad Wolf. "Hell freezes over before I allow that to happen!"

"Oh, now you say no," Sasuke rolled his eyes. "You do know he loves me, right? And if he wants to marry me, there's nothing you can do about it."

"You just dream on! There's no way my Naruto would be tempted to marry someone like you!"

"Someone like me had already won his heart, you hag! He loves me and he'd do anything I tell him to!"

"Love doesn't mean salivary, you jerk! And if you can't even tell those two apart then you have no right into claiming him as yours!"

Naruto sighed at the two storms at war on either sides of him; he tried to soothe the air, but to no avail. Finally, he settled on allowing the two to scream their hearts out and curse at each other while he enjoyed himself with the pizza placed on the table. Even if everyone was too busy with their business, his stomach was grumbling hungrily and he wouldn't spare any for them if they kept acting as babies and refused to listen when he hushed them. Yes, as he put another piece of the swiftly disappearing pizza into his mouth, Naruto took peace in knowing he wasn't in the wrong here.

* * *

Naruto closed the door behind his last friend and locked it, heading back inside. He saw Sasuke in the kitchen, arranging their newly purchased dishes out of their cartons and into the cabinets. A small smile came to his face; he walked inside the kitchen and held his boyfriend softly from behind, causing the other male to have his features brake down into a tiny smile of his own. A smile that only Naruto was able to extract out of him.

"Everyone helped out a lot today; we should give them 'thank you' gifts."

"I think you've done enough of that, besides, Neji and Gaara don't need anything and they were happy to help, now, I don't know about your bubblegum haired friend, but she looked quite content to me today, actually, I think if you give her any type of gift for helping you, she'd break that gift over your head."

Naruto chuckled at the thought and smiled when Sasuke put down the plate in his hand to turn around and face him. "Yeah, I think I'd be enrolled in the hospital for another three years."

Sasuke gently met their lips in a tender kiss that brushed softly over both of their hearts. This was their home. At last, each had found what he was looking for, in who he was looking for and made a place where he was allowed to belong and live in peace. Sasuke moved out of the kiss and dug his hands into Naruto's hair.

"I love you."

"I know."

"I've been in love with you since the first time…hmm…no, the first time I saw you I wanted to kill you for annoying me. So, I think the first time I fell in love was when you rushed out of the hospital so stupidly to save me. That really left an imprint."

Naruto grimaced at his failed attempt and whined to his lover. "Sasuke, mind not bringing that old thing up? I'm not particularly fond of that memory."

"Hmm? Why? You know," Sasuke raised Naruto's hidden face from his chest to meet his eyes and said seriously. "It wasn't all that bad. Actually, even though you looked like a complete idiot going up three armed adult men for my sake, I was happy. In all my life I had no one to count on but myself, that was a rule I'd lived by, that no one understands me better than myself, that I don't need anyone and no one would come for me no matter what happens. And I had sadly lived that way for a very long time, even when you thought of me as a friend in the hospital, I didn't. Because I knew I'm not allowed to bring anyone in my disaster of life. So, when Kakashi suggested I act as bait, I didn't mind. My life was hallowing…yet, you came. You ran like a crazy kid and demanded I was released. I couldn't see you well, and I was relying on my ears to know what had happened to you…"

Sasuke sighed, trying to put his own feelings of helplessness and weakness aside and tell Naruto what he needed him to know.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is…treasure that moment, love that moment and please don't look back with eyes filled with shame at it, because that was the moment I knew I wasn't alone, the moment I wanted to continue living, the moment I could trust another person and it was the moment that I fell in love. So, when you look back at that moment, remember all of these things and know that it's a miraculous moment. A moment to treasure, not throw."

Naruto could only hug the other male in his arms to let him know just how much he valued those words and how much it meant to him that he was being cherished.

"Sasuke…"

The raven gave a little pet to Naruto's head before he pulled the tanned male away from him. "Okay, now, before we begin anything that I won't be able to stop, go clean the bedroom while I finish tidying up in here. I want to at least have one room finished before dawn comes."

Naruto grinned and nodded to Sasuke. He walked out of the kitchen humming happily as he crossed his way to the bedroom. Immediately, his nose picked upon Sakura's perfume. He remembered that she'd taken the task of arranging this room to how she saw fit and had only left the job of vacuuming to him since she had run out of time. He grinned at the two vases filled with red roses that he thought his best friend must've taken a lot to be able to get in this season, and made to pick up the fallen petals.

After thirty minutes of vacuuming every corner of the vast room, Naruto threw his sweaty self into the shower, and enjoyed his time inside. Although he missed the bathroom occupied with the heavenly Jacuzzi that he loved very much back at Kakashi's house, Naruto was still happy with the bathroom he owned right now, for even if it lacked a beautiful accessory like the Jacuzzi, it was still a part of his house, and he'd take it any day over Kakashi's extravagant bathroom. Finally reaching the stage of squeaky clean, Naruto exited the bathroom with only a bath towel covering his private parts.

He entered their shared bedroom and had to sustain a smile at the image of Sasuke sprayed on the bed sheets obviously very tired from the work that he'd done this long day. Naruto took a stop to give his love a peck on the cheek and bask in the angel that had unexpectedly intruded on his life.

"You're going to catch a cold, sleeping like this."

Those soft words caused Sasuke's eyes to flutter open, he rose slowly from the bed and a yawn escaped his mouth. "You're out?"

"Sorry, didn't mean to wake you."

"Naah, I wanted to take a bath before bed, too."

"Then you should have just gone in." Naruto said, making his way towards their closet to get himself a pair of PJs. "The bath can fit more than two people at a time, you know."

"Naruto," At the foreign, dark tone Sasuke was using to call his name with, the blond had to turn and see what facial expression his love had matched with them, he felt his face heat up and blood rush to his groin at the sexy expression that was planted on Sasuke's face. "If I'd gone in, I assure you, with an accuracy of one hundred percent, that you'd have been bathroom-fucked this very night."

Naruto swallowed the sudden lump and the heat that was threatening to flame his whole body on fire and turned around. "Umm…don't you think you're thinking a lot about it? A simple bath won't have got you hard; we did have baths together without any of us getting fucked."

Slowly, Sasuke got out of the bed, and started making sure steps towards Naruto. "You know, I've noticed this for a while now, but I chose to ignore it. Yet, it's starting to seriously annoy me. So, I'm going to set it right." Sasuke put both his hands on the closet, closing the path for Naruto to slip from. "You're really merely conscious of me, aren't you?"

Naruto turned around and looked up at dark, black eyes. "Merely conscious of you?"

"You don't think anything of this close proximity we're having, right?"

"What do you mean I don't feel anything? I do. My heart is beating so fast it's going to burst out of my chest." As to make his point across, Naruto took one of Sasuke's hands and glued it from the closet to his chest. "See? I'm very conscious of you."

Sasuke shook his head. "No, you're not. You're just reacting the normal way anyone would react with having their love at a close proximity to them."

Naruto scowled. "Isn't that the same as being conscious of you?"

"Nope. I knew you would have them mixed up. Look, being conscious defers from being overly conscious. To be conscious means to be aware of the presence of the other person, which is what you're doing right now and with a lower degree even, so more accurately you're 'short on conscious of me', merely conscious. And being overly conscious is what I'm going to demonstrate to you right now."

The blond had to hold his breath as Sasuke leaned very close to his ears and whispered in that husky, sexy voice of his that would always have Naruto's bones shuddering amidst themselves.

"We're alone here. In this whole apartment, there's no one other than you and me. And I'm lusting over you. I want to rip your clothes with my teeth, trace every single muscle and mark every exposed area as mine. I want to ravish you until you can't even speak coherently. I want to mix you up with my semen both from the inside and the outside, I'll make you scream and writhe under me in ecstasy, and as you reach heaven, I'll have you sing my name. As I fill every dark corner of your body, I'll make your sexy asshole twitch, wanting me even more. You won't be able to escape, your mouth would be glued to mine and your eyes would fail to see any light, only the overwhelming image of me. And no matter how much you try to deny it, escape from it or call for help, you won't be able to resist and sooner or later, my love, you'll drown in me. And I'll make you drown even more until your only air is me."

With this, Sasuke moved away, towards the bathroom with a satisfied smirk on his lips, and before he clicked the door closed, he could hear the faint thump that echoed from his bedroom, for his boyfriend's tanned body had so gracefully fallen to the wooden ground, with his face turned crimson red, his heart reaching his throat, and cold fingers trying to wipe the embarrassing images that overflow from his nasty mind at the noxious words that were so sinfully whispered into his ears.

Sasuke's smirk turned into a proud grin, and he clicked the bathroom door shut, enjoying himself the torture Naruto was seriously going through right now. "And that, dear Naruto, is how you become overly conscious of me."

* * *

**Naughty, naughty Sasuke, lol making Naruto go through so much. I honestly enjoyed writing this chapter, and I hope you all enjoyed reading it, too! Thanks for always reading and supporting me and 'til next chapter~ **


	12. Chapter Twelve

**Author's Notes:**

***Hides behind a wall* I know, I know, I took too long. And any excuse I may have is invalid, but I hope you all are still with me here, I got totally busy with life and couldn't find any time to write T_T, it was like my life chose to happen the minute I started writing. But we only have one more chapter to go then all would be worth it :D! Thanks for reading this and following me, and thanks to my wonderful Beta, XxDreaming of RealityxX, for her edits and great support. Now, on with the chapter and enjoy sailing through my fantasy ~**

* * *

"Umm…are you sure it's alright? I personally have no problem with being here, but Sasuke would throw a fit if he found out."

Calm, black, shiny orbs met Naruto's anxious ones, and the owner of such beautiful dark pearls chuckled to the blond, reassuring him down. "Don't worry; I've already called him here. So, you don't need to freak out."

Naruto's brows furrowed at the words and he questioned. "Wouldn't that be bad? Sasuke hates you."

"Correct. But time has come for that hatred to be stopped and for him to see reality."

"…You…you're not planning on telling him the truth, are you?"

Itachi leaned back into the armchair he was sitting on and clarified. "The reason why I've hid it so far was for him to get stronger, and he has. Hence, it's time to stop."

"But won't it be bad to just let him know like this? What would happen if he doesn't believe you?"

"Sasuke…I've been informed that he's having troubles because of me. Yes, I knew it wouldn't be easy for him to hate me, but I had to do it. My baby brother was sweet, lovely and innocent. He wouldn't have been able to live in our world if he didn't learn of any hardships, and being his big brother, I had to teach him, and the best, fastest way was to break him when our parents died. It was the perfect opportunity to have him grow…but…"

Naruto leaned forward, supported by his elbows. "But it backfired on you."

"Not on me, on him. Sasuke is waging a war inside of him. Of course, I've already calculated some side effects to my plan that may damage his feelings, but my lovely, baby brother is still sweet. He couldn't forget me or how we used to be, regardless of the things he thinks I've done, and that's why his soul is tearing into two. A part wants to kill me and seek revenge; the other still wishes to mend the wounds and learn to forgive. And that is causing him to shatter. Even though I want him to live strong and happy, it seems that because of me he is unable to do so."

"Uchiha-san, excuse me for saying this, but I don't like you very much," Naruto sent a heated glare towards Itachi, already making up his mind about the words he'd been hearing. "You keep going on about Sasuke's best interest and what would make him strong, but to me, it appears that you're just a coward who wasn't able to help his own brother when he needed you the most and chose to just slip away from responsibility as the villain. You've hurt him in more ways than you think possible, and Sasuke didn't get stronger with what you've done to him, he got stronger to patch his heart, which he wasn't able to do 'til now."

Itachi nodded in response to Naruto's words and gave the blond a smile that had Naruto's glare flutter to a confused mask. "Your words might hold some truth to them. But at that time, the thing that Sasuke wasn't aware of was that our business was struggling, the CEO who had send those men to kill our parents wasn't acting alone, three major corporations that were on business with us have been aiding him. I didn't even have time to grieve; I had to mend the problems and all those loose ends. I had to create a new life for us, Uchiha, I had to clean the mess my late father couldn't, and I couldn't work with a worthless, pathetic brother who knew nothing of our situation. I needed a strong heir. One who would be able to handle the dirtiness of the world, and as I said before, the only way for that to happen, was for Sasuke to believe I was the bad guy, and get stronger."

Naruto fisted his hands on his sides. He could understand and even sympathize with what the long haired beauty was saying, but still, he couldn't forgive, because he knew. He knew the damage behind that clarification; he knew the big, dark hole inside of Sasuke's heart that his love wasn't able to fill. And no matter what, he couldn't bring himself to think that whatever caused that hole had any just to it. It was cruel, cruel fate and Sasuke was its centre. Naruto gritted his teeth as his feelings were engulfing him and he could only force them back down.

"So, _again_, you're going to throw away all of Sasuke's feelings and tell him the truth?"

"No, Naruto," the blond had to raise his head at the new addition to their conversation, his eyes linked with lazy black ones as silver locks came to cover one invisible eye. "He's trying to set the record right. You know how Sasuke is pushing everything down and bottling it up, right? And you also know how that's suffocating him, so what he's saying is that truth, right now, is a must, just like that lie was back then."

"But surprising him with the truth after so many years isn't the right solution here!"

"Yes, it is. Sasuke was given a false lie to live by, and now he's going to be given a truth to correct the destructive life path he's currently on, it's balanced."

"What destructive life path? Sasuke's happy! We're happy! If you're going to shatter everything like that in the name of freeing his feelings, I won't allow you!"

Kakashi sighed and folded his arms above his chest. "Idiot, we're not trying to shatter anything, we're trying to repair. Did you know that Sasuke hasn't gone to work for two weeks now? Not even to his school? He's dismissed every project he was assigned to, and petitioned the university for a dismissal. After you two moved out, he just ignored everything that has to do with Uchiha and is living his life denying himself. This way, Sasuke is walking on a self-destruct path, it might not happen now, or tomorrow, but one day, it will. And then it will be too late to do anything about it."

And again, the words being delivered to his ears were foreign. Sasuke, missing school? Work? That wasn't possible. He was sure the other had always gone out to school and work every morning, he would even come late at times and Sasuke would take a longer time to arrive after him. Saying all the time how his work was giving him a hard time and how heavy projects were piling up on his university work. How could they say that he was missing out on them then?

Naruto looked back and forth from the two males, and they didn't look like they were lying…then…Sasuke was lying to him? The love of his life had started lying to him? The blond felt his nerves flutter inside, but before he could run into hurting mazes, he had to make sure.

"Kakashi, you sure he didn't even go once?"

"I've the records for it. I can show you if you wish, Sasuke hasn't been close to his college or company's premises for two weeks straight."

And Naruto felt his body shake with the information. He forced his aching muscles back down and was awakened from his coma by the quiet tone of the older Uchiha.

"Naruto-kun, I won't deny that I wish to tell him the truth because of my own selfish reasons, but I also don't wish to see him suffer. Sasuke is the most important person in my life, as I know he is in yours, and hell would freeze over before I allow anything bad to happen to him, therefore, I've to act now and fast."

"Then…there's no other way aside from telling him the truth?"

"No. There's not. This is our last chance to return Sasuke to his old self, without turning back."

Naruto couldn't help himself from snorting out at this. "I thought his old self was worthless and pathetic. Why would you want to return him to such a hateful self?"

Itachi smiled and put a hand over Naruto's, jolting the blond at how cold the hand touching his was. "That's where your turn comes along. Sasuke won't revolt back to uselessness because you'd be there for him. You're going to do what I failed at. You're going to be his rock and shield. Since Sasuke will most likely be very unstable after I tell him, he'd think everyone had betrayed him and made a complete fool out of him, and because my brother is sweet, he'd be very hurt. I'm satisfied with being hated again, but I want you to help him see the light."

"What would make you think I'd help you?"

"Because you love him. I doubt you'd sit idly watching while your love is going through hell."

"I just don't get this…why, after all this time, are you bothering about him? Sasuke had become stronger, and it doesn't make sense to decide on such a huge impact on his life simply because he missed up on some work and studying days, didn't it even occur to you that he was just thinking of taking a time of rest?"

"I don't think you even yourself believe that. Sasuke made it crystal clear that he wants out. He still doesn't have the resolve to see it through, but he'd build it. And I never intended for him to leave the family. He's my baby brother, my only brother, I love him to death and I'd do anything I can to forbid him for doing a grave mistake, even if I wound up dead after it. I can't allow him to flush the name our parents worked so hard to preserve just because he couldn't handle the danger."

"Did you ever stop and think what he wants for a second? Didn't you think that maybe he really wishes nothing more than to leave your dreadful family line and live an honest and simple life?"

"No. Sasuke would never truly wish for something that silly. He knows better, he knows what all of this means, he knows the true value of his name and it's not something he can simply throw away. I believe he's just confused. No…more accurately, fed up."

"Fed up?" Naruto asked not quite getting what the older male was talking about, but before Itachi could respond, Kakashi took that task to his own.

"Fed up with being alone. Since that incident, Sasuke acted alone, he lived believing his brother to be a traitor and all those around him were mere hyenas wanting his post. Actually, by doing so, he became alert, strong and deeply witted, but it was at the expense of having his support taken away from him. Naruto, I know it seems like we're doing nothing but torturing Sasuke again, but I assure you, we're not. We're trying to light a light inside his heart. You do realize that he can't live his life simply being blind to the fact that the one who'd killed his parents wasn't his brother?"

Naruto passed a hand through his face and gave off a sigh. Their words made sense, and if he truly wished for Sasuke's wellbeing, he wouldn't aid in keeping him in the dark, but…he wasn't sure if he could pull the broken Sasuke back to life simply by his power alone, because after all, he wasn't all that strong himself.

After about half an hour of simple conversations, and means to explain to Naruto some more about what had actually happened that night in detail and what would they tell Sasuke in letters, the blond was allowed to go back home. He wanted to sit and wait for Sasuke and be there with him when they tell him, but Itachi had advised that Sasuke would feel pain if he knew that his boyfriend had known and was keeping it a secret from him, besides, Sasuke would need a safe place to come back to after being given such a huge bomb and that safe house would be their apartment. So he should return there and wait patiently for his other half to come and help him cope with the new changes.

And with that, Naruto left.

* * *

Naruto never thought that the sound of his own front door closing would be so frightening. He felt his inner soul shake at the loud footsteps that weren't so loud when he woke up this morning and tried to stay calm. He bit his lips, and shook his head, this wasn't time to be acting like a worthless, scaredy-cat, this was time for him to stand like a man and hold himself. He pulled himself off the bed and walked towards the living room, his nose was the first to complain at the stinky smell coming off the dead load on his precious sofa, and then his eyes turned wide at the rattled form of his boyfriend.

He ran towards the beaten up raven and made to question him of what on earth had him turn into a human punching bag. "Sasuke! What happened?!"

The raven pushed lazily the warm hand coming to welcome him home and nurse his aching body, and tried to raise himself off the sofa but failed miserably, stumbling into Naruto's arms before hitting the hard ground. "Let go."

"Hell if I let go! What on earth happened to you?! Where were you and why are you this drunk?!"

"Fucking stop yelling at me! I'm not drunk."

Naruto sighed when he knew that yelling will not deliver them anywhere; and messaged his head with another try at a soft approach. "I won't ask, but can you please stay still so I can help you to your bed?"

At his calm demeanour, Sasuke's stingy attitude subsided; he didn't say a word, but allowed Naruto to slowly help him to his knees and then off to their bedroom. Once inside, the blond laid his drunken boyfriend on their mahogany queen bed and started to take off his shoes.

"It was all a big fucking game. He played me like a fucking duck and I so easily fell into each and every fucking trap he'd perfectly made for me."

And of course, the blond knew exactly what the other had meant, yet he kept his mouth sealed shut and continued with the task of undressing Sasuke.

"I hate him. I fucking hate him. I wish he burns a thousand times in hell. I wish the ceiling he's under burns out and falls killing him. I hope he suffers a slow and painful death, I wish…"

When the loads of loathing words disappeared into a muffled groan, Naruto had to stop pulling Sasuke's jeans off and look at the face of the agonizing male. He could actually hear his heart break into two at the scene. Sasuke was suffering. He was suffering from the truth. Just like a drug junkie suffering a fit of withdrawal, his lover was suffering the withdrawal of his truths and beliefs before his eyes. And he, as always, couldn't do anything about it.

He felt unfit to crawl in there and hold Sasuke through this suffering, because he knew. He was a criminal holding a knowledge his love had needed and kept it from him. And now, he couldn't act as if he didn't know, he couldn't act like an innocent bystander that was dragged into a filthy mess of a very intelligence manipulator, because he knew. And yes, that was what he thought of Sasuke's elder brother, a very intelligent manipulator and a genius puppeteer, fitting Sasuke to be his perfect doll.

Naruto fisted his hands on his sides when Sasuke's groans had yet again subsides into faint grunts and aching moans, his heart hurt at every turn. What was he expected to do? In a situation like this, what was Sasuke's brother expecting him to do? How was he to heal the great wound inflected on a person whose soul was being extracted? He wasn't a doctor, a healer or a therapist. He was a mere college student, in his twenties, majoring in mechanics with a guy as a boyfriend. How was it expected from a person with such low qualifications as him to be able to heal Sasuke?

He didn't know. His mind was blank. His soul was ripping and he felt like he was swirling in an inner struggle vacuum with his self.

Sasuke was here. He was here and Sasuke was hurting. It's a simple equation, he should only go there, to his side, hold his hand, hug him, kiss him, and let him know everything was okay, that even if his beliefs were torn, he would help him make new ones, that the world was still turning, life was still being breathed into infants and people were still living. Having a shattered image or a life wasn't a big deal, they were together, two people, he could share his burdens and they could find a way to happiness.

But his tongue tied into knots. Words were inside his head, but his tongue tied into knots. He wasn't able to speak, and his head throbbed with each small sob, crazy laugh, and grunt Sasuke was releasing. And it was too much. He was betraying his love, that's why it was too much. The words Sasuke's brother had said were ringing inside his head and made it too much. He knew he was to be the rock, and it was too much. Everything was too much because he knew. He knew and kept silent, he knew and allowed Sasuke to live in the dark, he knew and shut his trap for his own connivance. And now he was made to pay the price. The price of favouring his own happiness over Sasuke's.

"…Naruto**.**"

His name was pronounced with delicacy, with trust and with love, and he hated himself even more for that. "Yes?"

"I'm leaving Konoha. I'll go away. I don't want you or any other person to contact me. I have to get away or I'll go mad."

Those words were like oil being poured on his flaming self. He was being abandoned, dumped, thrown, because he knew. He was being chained, because he was a criminal. And Sasuke was leaving him because they were over.

"N…No."

It was a long period, and the silence could be cut off by a sword, but Naruto stood his grounds.

"I'm not asking you for permission, I'm telling you of what I'll be doing."

He held tightly to his clothes and refused to budge. "NO! I don't want this. You can't go away! You're mine! I won't allow you to go away!"

Sasuke released the covers over him and groaned out his own frustration. "You think I'm leaving because I fucking want to?! I have no choice! I can't stay like this, not knowing who or what I am anymore! He said it was a sham! All of this was a sham! He was fucking playing me all along! I can't stand being in the same country with him anymore! I can't breathe here, Naruto…do you understand? I'm chocking…I can't…breathe…!"

And Naruto allowed hell to break loose as he run to hold to devastated form of his love. Sasuke was lost, he was a criminal, but he couldn't bear it. Sasuke was shattering, and he wouldn't allow him. Holding onto the raven so hard, Naruto slowly pushed him onto the bed and gave him a trail of sweetly, sinful kisses to which Sasuke responded with aggravation. Turning the kisses into a battlefield, a battlefield that Naruto happily allowed him to concur.

"Clothes off."

The blond complied with the orders of the male over him and quickly their clothes were off. Naked as a baby, Naruto allowed his body to be explored. Actually, they had been living for three weeks now in their new apartment, and all they did was foreplay. They hand-jobbed, blow-jobbed, did the sixty-nine position and even grinded against each other in a hot, passionate atmosphere in the bathroom. But…no real sex had been made. It was because they were experiencing a power struggle. Neither wanted to be done. Sasuke still held tightly to his belief that he should be the one entering and Naruto refused to budge and be entered. It was a hard match, and neither wanted to be fucked.

Which always made them come to point zero. No sex. They were lovers with no sex. And Naruto could detect the frustration that was building on them because of that. But still, he wouldn't budge. Of course Sasuke had more sexual experience than him and he knew the other must've known different, exquisite techniques to make him reach heaven, yet his pride was in the way. He watched videos on how the process was made, and asked Gaara for details, but his mind refused the fact to be done totally. And Sasuke was never going to let him touch his ass. So…what could they do?

His mind went blank for a minute as Sasuke's mouth hung to his cock and he was allowed to get a royal service from his lover. Yes, by this time, he was sure Sasuke had discovered what he liked and what he hated. Because his love was sucking hard on his foreskin, causing his face to flush and his fingers to dig hard into Sasuke's scalp, pushing, pulling and begging for him to allow his balls freedom so he could cum. He was close, but for some reason, Sasuke refused him that pleasure.

Opening half-laded eyes, the blond looked at the mess hugging his dick. "S-Sasuke…?"

Sharp eyes looked at him, and slowly Sasuke raised his head, but continued his grip on the blond's throbbing cock. "You're hiding something from me, Naruto. And until you say it, I won't allow you to cum."

His heart quickened at the words, and his breath hitched. It wasn't because he was being sexually harassed, no; it was because Sasuke was giving him cold, icy eyes demanding the truth. The truth that had his tongue knot in the first place. He turned away in shame unable to muster a heated stare to match his love's.

"…I…there's nothing I'm hiding."

And Naruto tasted torture after his little lie, for Sasuke had started a hellish rhythm that shot pain and ecstasy down his standing member. And he bit hard. He closed his mouth and bit hard on his lips. Refusing to give a word, or admit his sin. But with time, it was hard to continue his ground. Sasuke was exposing him, making him naked and violating him. He was being tortured into sweet agony and he couldn't say a word.

"I knew from the moment I walked in that you're hiding something from me, but what? What are you not telling me, Naruto? We agreed to the rule of no secrets, why are you betraying it right now? Why are you keeping silent and withdrawing from me?!"

He couldn't tolerate any longer. The pain and passion with the harsh words included, he couldn't put up with it, and he spoke. He opened his sealed caves and he spoke.

"…I-If you're going to go on about something like this, then I can also turn the tables, why haven't you told me you've quit your job? Why didn't you tell me you've applied for a dismissal from college? Why are you keeping me in the dark about stuff that matter to you? I'm not the only one holding secrets here, Uchiha, so don't make it all my fault!"

And all the words he was saying were wrong. He didn't mean to say this; he wanted to tell Sasuke his sin, to confess that he knew, not to push all the blame onto the hurting Sasuke…but again, the knots on his tongue chose to change the course of his words.

Sasuke seemed to freeze when those words reached his ears, and the hands holding Naruto hostage from underneath have stopped. Slowly moving up and away from him.

"I…How…?"

Naruto looked down at his hands and pulled the covers over himself, earnestly covering his exposed skin. "Kakashi told me. He said you had stopped coming to the company and school. But, I still don't understand, every day you went out like normal, why were you lying to me? And where did you go if not to school and work, then?"

The raven sighed and ran a hand through his messy hair; he looked totally exhausted and defeated to Naruto, and the blond hated how he was making him show such a vulnerable face. "Remember when I told you I fought with Itachi about being disowned and leaving the company?"

"Yes."

"I told him I want to throw everything away, but he didn't reply to me, so I took his silence as a _'yes'_. I knew he had no intention of letting me go, but I wanted freedom. Yet, today, I learned why he never wanted me to leave. I didn't tell you because I was still uncertain. I didn't want you to worry about something that I wasn't certain with, therefore, I kept quiet."

"Sasuke…" He released in a delicate tone as if addressing a fragile child, and when those pained eyes looked at him, Naruto knew he couldn't keep quiet anymore. His love was feeling betrayed and he won't allow him to shoulder the pain alone without being there just because his weak self refused to admit his sin. "I knew…about your past, the whole truth. I knew it."

"…H–uh?"

The blond lowered his gaze at the hesitant tone and kept it there, he bit his lips as his mind started showing him millions of different expression signalling how the raven thought about his confession. And neither assured him that he could mend them back together.

"Remember back when we had that fight about your family, when you first told me the whole truth, well after, I just couldn't believe that the nice person I've met could actually kill his own parents, so I asked, and Kakashi told me everything. How your brother had asked him to keep you in the dark for your sake, how he wasn't the one who'd killed them but some lowlife CEO that wanted the company, and the fact that their death wasn't planned for, it was a pure accident. But if he'd told you that, you – in his sight – would not have grown to be a strong man, like you are now."

"You think I'm strong like this?"

And again, he continued to be oblivious to the bitter tone and his eyes closed tight. "You're strong! At first, I didn't agree to it but with time, I could see that telling you would do much more damage than allowing you to stay in the dark…so, I kept quiet."

"…You simply decided on your own not to tell me?"

"No…I was going to tell you…one day, when the time was right. But it never seemed to be the right timing, and…"

"And what? You played me like a fool, just like them, didn't you? You laughed at me behind my back, didn't you? You acted hard to get and ranted about my own happiness when you were thinking of how stupid I was to want to throw my whole family aside for you, didn't you? You kept quiet to continue belittling me, didn't you?!"

Naruto bit his lips, and the words were like knives being thrown at him, he felt his heart cry and mustered enough courage to look up. Oh God! How he wished he didn't do that! Silent tears, clear as quartzes were running down the pale cheeks he'd caressed many times he'd lost count, the dark eyes that would always look at him with love had now lost all colour to them and had turned hallow, looking at him with fear and unhappiness. It was heart-breaking. His heart was breaking and he quickly panicked.

The tanned hand he reached for Sasuke was harshly slapped away and his fears grow darker.

"Answer me, Naruto! Answer me! Why did you lie to me?! Why didn't you tell me?! If it was you, I'd have been alright; I'd have been able to pull myself together! Just knowing you'd be there for me and won't betray me, I'd have taken comfort in that! But now…I…"

Naruto felt his core shake and his fingers grew cold, Sasuke was moving away, off the bed and away from him. He quickly stumbled through the tangled sheets, trying to reach him but his balance was off and instead, he fell hard onto the ground. His arms hurt, his legs ached and his knee burned. But the pain inside his heart was much, much more greater than any physical ache. And he stood up, collected his fallen, naked self and walked over to Sasuke.

"I…I'm sorry, Sasuke. I didn't mean to betray you…I'm sorry…!"

Sasuke looked as frozen as a statue to Naruto, and with every step the blond took, the raven moved back. They were both broken, unable to move, unable to decipher words, unable to comprehend, and unable to mend. And so, Sasuke hazily grabbed his disregarded clothes off the ground, and as if lost in a maze put them over his naked form.

"Stay away from me! I…I'm leaving…!"

"N-No…d-don't go, Sasuke!"

"I can't! I can't look at you anymore!"

And Naruto froze. The rest was foreign to his ears. How Sasuke was able to dress himself, get out of the roomand then the apartment was foreign to him. His ears could only hear the resonating sound of the doors being slammed shut on him. And he shook, shivered and fell to the ground. Thudding hard and shuddering at the way everything in him seemed to simply shatter before his eyes.

And yet again, he was too weak to hold anything together.

* * *

"How is he doing?"

Neji sighed at the head shake and ruffled his own dark locks in frustration. "One day they're fine, the next they fight with Sasuke disappearing and Naruto coming down with a hellish fever. What on Fucking Earth is happening here?!"

Gaara put a hand over his boyfriend's shoulder, relaxing him. "Calm down, Neji. There's no need to lose your cool, I'm sure it's something silly, they just need to cool down and talk everything out."

"But it's so damn frustrating! What could possibly have gone wrong for them to lose it like this?"

"My guess is the same as yours. But we can only give them silent comfort."

"Even if this silent comfort does nothing to aid them at all?"

"Yes," The redhead closed the door to the room Naruto was in and proceeded to drag his other half out. "Right now, he needs rest. The doctor said nothing is wrong with him and his fever is due to stress, so we must make sure his life here is stress-free for him to be able to recover fast enough."

"You really do sound like a worried friend. I'm jealous."

The two started making their way out of the Naruto's vast bedroom and into the living room. "Naruto has done a lot for me; the least I could do to repay is aid when he needs me. Anyhow, have you called Sakura-chan?"

The long haired raven nodded. "She should be here any minute now. I'm amazed at myself for not finding her repulsive. Women tend to rub me off the wrong way, yet this one doesn't."

"That because you two have the same nasty, manipulative character. Aside from your gender, you're a coin of the same face."

"Somehow, it pisses me off when you say it."

"I'm fine with you being pissed; just continue the easy-going relationship you have with her."

"Hmph, its one thousand years too early for you to start telling me what to do."

"I'm simply declaring a wish."

The sound of the doorbell ringing put hold on the two's conversation. And elegantly, Gaara walked over to answer the door, expecting the pink locks to wave with the wind at him. Yet, his tranquil, green orbs widened so slightly at the unexpected guest, but nonetheless, he allowed the older stranger to walk in, followed by three grown up men that were instructed to remain outside, in which his invisible brow chose to raise again at.

"Who is it?" Neji had released the question shortly after his lovely boyfriend walked the wall separating the small hall leading to the front door and entered the living room.

The redhead though was beat to the answer by the appearance of the raven behind him, yet he still answered back. "Sasuke's bro."

Neji frowned at the older male and addressed with a tone that told him he wasn't pleased with what had happened, regardless of what it was. "It was your doing, right?"

"…The plan backfired."

"With you, plans always backfire!"

"It wasn't intentional. I knew there was a slight chance Naruto wouldn't be able to hide it right, but the effect of his knowledge is far greater than I'd expected."

At those words, Neji's brain continued working, and his eyes widened wide. "Sasuke…where's Sasuke?!"

Sharp, dark eyes looked back at his own lilac ones and Itachi took a seat in the home he'd wrecked. "At the mansion. Currently, he's undergoing some…" He paused searching for the right word, "changes." And said it with confidence when he'd found it.

"What type of changes?" Inquired the brave Hyuuga.

"Changes that people outside of the family have no business knowing. Now, in which room may I find Naruto-kun?"

"Just because you think of us as nausea, doesn't mean we're not their friends! You've done nothing ever to help Sasuke or make him feel pleasant about himself, and now, when he'd finally found someone to accept him for who he is and treat him well and was able to fall in love, you come and snatch all the happiness away from him?! And you expect me to just hand in Naru-chin to you on a silver plate to do whatever you want with him?! You seriously underestimate me!"

Itachi listened and then spoke in his always calm tone. "Seems you've gotten some of the facts wrong. So, I'll correct. Firstly, I don't think of you as nausea, you're Sasuke's friend, and our families have long been friends, so you hold a position of respect. Secondly, concerning Sasuke's business, he's my little brother, and everything I ever did was for him to be happy. His happiness was my goal. Minor setbacks, faults and errors sure did happen in my plan to shape him up, but in the end, he's happ–"

"You call being taken away from the person you love happiness?! Flash news to you buddy, that's hell!"

Frowning at being interrupted, Itachi continued his corrections, putting the question aside. "Thirdly, I _**will**_ take Naruto, this matter you've no say in it, and if you wish to enter in a conflict with me, then you better be prepared to have all the good ties we have with your family cut. This includes our business ties, as well."

"You're threatening me?"

"Merely correcting, and giving a word of advice."

"Hyuuga ain't that weak! We can take you on and all those ties we've can just go fricking to hell!"

"I wonder if the elders in your family would think the same. For once, I was always fascinated with their strict and fast rules, it's miraculous how quickly they can degrade a fellow man, from a young man of inspiring growth and high expectations, to one of the servants flowing around their midst. Without batting an eye of reconsidering."

And it was there, in blue, said for him to know and his mind to engrave. A fierce threat. And Neji knew that he wouldn't be threatened like this if the Uchiha before him didn't already get the consent from his own elders. This was his fate, the fate that would befall him had he ever thought about crossing sides with Itachi. But…!

"Do what you want to do; you're still not taking him!"

"My, oh my, you're a stubborn one. Won't you try to have your lover here see reason?" Itachi addressed the other male who'd been quiet since the moment he and Neji started their little game of conflict.

"He knows what he's doing, and when he sets his mind on something, it's hard to get him to change it. Besides," Gaara added with a nonchalant smile that made the room breeze in coolness. "It was never a good idea to go against Neji."

"I see. Sasuke really did make himself some good friends. Yet…" The raven snapped his fingers and the men that were standing outside, hurriedly broke the lock and entered uninvited to where they were being called to. "You forget that you lack the power to do what you preach."

Another snap and the three men started searching the rooms in the apartment, looking with care for the sleeping prince they were targeting. Neji tried to stop them, but the hard reality was hitting him from each and every corner he turned to. Gaara stayed silently put.

It wasn't even three minutes later, and the men came out carrying the tired blond bridal style. Itachi's face turned into a nice grin and he walked over to Naruto. Holding the tanned face in between his cold palms brought the feverish male to awakening.

"Naruto-kun," Itachi addressed with a warm tone that fluttered so softly to the hazy brain, "would you like to go and meet Sasuke?"

Foggy, blurred, blue eyes looked at the long haired beauty, it took about five minutes for Naruto's brain to catch up and give out an answer. "Sasu…ke…he left…mad at me, he left me…I want to apologize, I want to see him…it was wrong…I didn't mean it…Sasuke, I'm sorry…forgive me…Sasuke…"

And Itachi accepted the chanting rants to be a good enough answer, he snapped his fingers and nodded to his men, soon the blond was carried, with care, to the fancy car that awaited him downstairs.

"You should be ashamed of yourself!" Neji said, slamming his hand on the wall beside him, "He's in no condition to be walking the fuck around!"

"Well, yet he said it, he clearly said it, and we all heard, he wants to meet Sasuke and apologize, now I'm not doing anything out of law, I'm not forcing anything on him. Merely, I'm using my means to secure his wish. And if you're truly friends, you'd step aside and allow your friend the chance to patch his deeds."

Before Neji's angry mouth could flare another curse at the calm male, Gaara said, having a hand pat his lover's shoulder. "Maybe he's right, Neji. Naruto wants to make up with Sasuke, and since we have no idea what started the fight or where Sasuke is, we wouldn't be of any help. So, sometimes it's better to step aside and allow another plan to be executed."

"And I'd listen to him if I were you." Itachi reasoned as he started walking towards the front door.

Neji knew it and Gaara knew it, they both were too helpless to defy the storm that had just washed them, and the only thing they could do right now was silently sit back and watch as fate breaks or mends Naruto and Sasuke's relationship together.

"Ara, why is the door open?" The chirping voice of a female reached both their ears, and slowly, sound of a high heel was drowning closer. "Oh, Neji-kun, Gaara-kun, why did you two leave the front door open?"

And Sakura's simple question was met with a frustrated slam to a pale hand to the wooden table Naruto had purchased on sale.

"FUCK!"

* * *

Two pairs of blue, shinning eyes opened. At first, the light shone on them too brightly and they were made to hide behind the tanned hand coming to their rescue as soon as possible, yet in no time, they got used to the sunbeams and slowly were able to look around. It was another environment, a place they were sure never seen before, but for some reason, they didn't feel danger or alert from it. The owner of such beautiful eyes sat straight on the comfortable, silky sheets underneath him and ruffled the knots on the big, soft, fluffy blanket covering him, and even though he was feeling very comfortable laying still in here, a huge question fluttered to his mind.

Where was he?

Still, no one was there to answer for him, so he got up slowly and left the comfortable layers around him. His first step was to leave the huge, aristocratic-looking room and wander about until he could be able to locate a person to give him identity on where he was. He strolled amidst the vast halls, lost in a sense of awe at the marvellous, new surroundings. It was as if he was thrown into a castle, a castle of ancient times, where kings and queens lived and ruled in happiness, and the ceiling with painted baby-angels playing happily confirmed that little suspicion of his.

Shaking his head at the silly thought, Naruto blinked as a somewhat familiar melody started reaching his ears. He frowned at the distant memory that refused to surface with that melody but made to follow the sound, hoping for an answer to this foreign environment he was suddenly spirited to.

His legs turned to ice and his eyes went wide. His trembling hands lay softly on the golden, decorated knob as he gazed with mixed emotions at the male sitting amidst beautiful flowers, singing with a serene voice to the bright sun beaming over him. Naruto felt his mouth release a sound sigh; he was gazing at a picture drawn by angels, maybe even the same baby-angels he saw on the ceiling, a picture that he wished to have imprinted inside his brain and heart for as long as he lived.

Over there, his lost love, his whole life, his hell and heaven was sitting with a calm expression on his face, singing the melody that the blond still failed to identify. Naruto felt his heart thump, and all the unhappy memories he tried to ignore and forget surfaced to chock him again, clutching tightly to his neck and snickering evilly when his sinned eyes caught with Sasuke's somewhat nonchalant ones. He lost all the courage he still thought he had.

"Who are you?" The tone was blank, matching the stare poring holes into his head. No malice, hatred or love. Blank. A tone that had his brain buzz for a while before he was able to decipher it. Yet, he wasn't given time, for the beauty that he wasn't sure right now could still be called his boyfriend, hopped from the lovely veranda he was owning and walked towards him. Repeating the same blank question. "I asked, who are you?"

"…I…you…you don't know me?"

Black eyes blinked at his words and soft hairs twirled with a head shake. "I've never seen you before in my life. Anyways, this place's off limits. If you're a new servant or one of Nii-san's business friends, I advise you not to wander around so much, you'll get lost."

And his ears complained. This was a foreign language they were hearing. Even if they were able to catch the sounds, it would be another deal to understand them. What was his boyfriend talking about? Servant? Nii-san's friend? Wander around? What was going on here?

"…You're Sasuke, right?"

Blank eyes turned mysterious as the male tilted his head to the left. "You know me? Strange, I don't believe I've ever met you before, and I don't forget a face."

"You sure you don't know me?" Panicking by the sudden realization that the male truly was Sasuke and was acting as if he'd never seen him before, was driving Naruto harshly by the hand. "Sasuke, if this is some game for you to hurt me, then stop it. I already know I've hurt you and I'm ready to spend my whole life fixing it, so please stop pretending you don't know me!"

The tanned hands he laid on Sasuke's shoulders to shake him to planet Earth were smacked harshly and Naruto had to handle the pain that shot into his systems at the frightened stare that was targeting him.

"I've no idea who the hell you are, but don't touch me! If you've some business with this house, then go straight down that corridor and you'll reach the butler's office. I don't know you, so don't get familiar with me ever again either! Or Nii-san would show you hell!"

With that, the door to the lovely room with flowers and a bight veranda was slammed on his face. That slam didn't just shake the nails on the ancient door, but his bones as well. And he was caught in a daze. Everything was falling, he was falling, Sasuke was falling and their life together ceased existing. Before Naruto could tumble in a pit of desperation to the carpeted floor, a cold hand lay on his right shoulder and he looked up at a calm pair of tiny black orbs that for some reason, made him feel safe right now.

And without any words being said, Naruto threw himself at the silver bodyguard's chest and released the pain hollowing his soul since that dreadful night.

* * *

"Amnesia?"

"Yes. The doctor said it happened because of pressure. Sasuke was very stressed out that he sought a way out. And to him that way out was the time when he was living happily in childhood. So, he returned his brain to that timeline." Kakashi explained to the shivering blond after he'd calmed down and was offered a warm cup of tea with lemon.

"I…I can't believe it."

"Well, you better, if you want to help him that is."

"Help him?" Naruto looked with sad, self-loathing eyes. "He didn't even recognize me! How can I help him?!"

"Naruto, calm down. You need to block you heart for a second and think straight. Sasuke chose to escape because of us. We didn't have the power to help him. We were weak and allowed him to feel alone. In one night, his world shattered to pieces. He didn't know right from wrong. And this isn't your fault, it's our fault. We pushed him to that place, so we have to get him back."

"No…you did nothing wrong. It was me, I betrayed him. I should've told him the minute I knew, but I got busy with my own selfish life and ignored it. We were happy so I ignored it, and now I'm paying. I should hurt more."

Kakashi smacked the negative male on the head and frowned. "Boy, you're a mechanic, have you ever given up on turning a hopeless piece of junk into a one class vehicle?"

"I'm still studying to be a mechanic; I still haven't reached the place where I can change anything."

"My point is, you shouldn't give up. And in all honesty, I still don't see what you did wrong, or where you've sinned. You learned the truth and unconsciously hid it. You did it to maintain something good and in this case yours and his happiness. I don't see anything wrong with that. And you were with him when he learned the truth. The one who should really feel guilt should be–"

"Me, right?" The sound of slow footsteps walking closer got the two out of their little chat. Kakashi looked at the other raven with straight, clear eyes.

"Yes. From the first night you decided to take all the blame, I disagreed. There were other methods to prepare him for the outside world aside from making him believe his only brother had betrayed him. Anyone would be messed up after that."

"Sasuke needed to be messed up, he needed to be strong."

"That's just your twisted brain making up things."

Itachi sighed and walked closer, taking a seat for himself on the grand sofa in the guest room that was neatly prepared for Naruto. "I love my brother. He's everything I've left. And he needed to disregard his naivety towards the world and grown up; I was just a mean to an end. Anyhow, I don't regret what I've done. It was for his best interest, and since going through this subject will end in an unwanted argument, how about we all just think of a way to bring him back for now?"

"Sasuke won't come back," Naruto started for the first time since the raven walked in, "he doesn't want to come back and hurt again. I understand since I went to something similar."

"Then, this would make it easier for you, wouldn't it?"

"Make what easy?"

"Bringing him back. You know the pain, you love him, and he loves you. Those all are things in your favour. Right now, Sasuke is suffering in a cocoon, he doesn't want to listen. He closed all means for communication, but I still think you can find a way to reach him."

"You…don't you hate me?" Naruto questioned the cheerful looking raven.

"What on earth would have you think that?"

"I took your lovely, baby brother away from you. I stole him from your side. He wanted to throw everything including you away because of me. And if you really love your brother as much as you say you do, there's no way you won't feel a slight hint of hatred towards me."

"Hmm…I think you've gotten something wrong here. I don't hate nor love you. My feelings towards you are that towards a wall. It's there; I can't do anything about it. I just need to coexist with it. And since Sasuke had chosen you as a mate, I've little say in that. So, for now, how about saying I'm accepting you instead of hating you?"

"You can always destroy an unwanted wall." Naruto remarked with calm.

"Well, if I do that, Sasuke would cry. And his tears worth the world to me."

"I…" Naruto stood up, ruffling his already ruffled locks. "I'm going to take a breath outside. Everything is so tangled up; I need to clear my head. Excuse me." He bowed out with respect.

Itachi released a sound giggle that only disturbed the silver haired bodyguard even more. "What now?"

"Nothing, I just think I caught a glimpse of what Sasuke saw in him."

"You're not thinking of doing anything to the kid, are you?"

"Hmm…I wonder if I should."

"You shouldn't. And I still don't understand why you called him here. Sure, Sasuke needs his lover by his side, but you were never hooked on stuff like those, you're an obsessive brother and that hadn't changed. I still remember how you kicked Sasuke's first girlfriend when she visited, what's changed now? Why are you agreeing with their relationship like this?"

"That girl never had intention of loving Sasuke; she only saw wealth and looks. And didn't have the strength to hold him if anything happened. She wasn't suitable for being with him. So, I did what big brothers do, I protected him. As for Naruto-kun," Itachi turned his back to the silver haired male as he started walking out of the room. "…Sasuke was calling him. Each and every night, in his sleep, he was calling for him. And if Sasuke wants something, I'll bring it to him. No matter what or where it was."

And Kakashi was left with that answer to settle with, he sighed as he stretched his aching limbs and got out, deciding that a cold glass of wine wasn't so bad after all.

* * *

Naruto felt as if he was back to kindergarten with his crush placed on a close proximity from him and his body freezing up in excitement mixed with worry. He sighed at the pathetic view and got up, trying to overcome his own nervousness at dealing with a different Sasuke than the arrogant bastard he got used to.

"How about you let me try that out?" He said in the friendliest tone he could ever muster without sounding too creepy, and the blank eyes studying him took a turn from the scattered flowers underneath to the male offering a friendly hand.

"You can do it?"

"I can try."

The scattered petals were given to him and Naruto smiled, he felt as if the first step into achieving the trust of the raven in cocoon was done. He twirled his fingers in a keen way, and when the blank eyes sparkled with a childish intent at the finished bow, he grinned.

"That's amazing! How did you do it?"

"It's easy; I had a great master myself. I can teach you if you want."

The raven nodded with a smile, but it fluttered into a sad face a second later. "My mother used to do it well, too. She said she'd teach me when I'm old enough to handle delicacy. I never knew what she meant by that, but for some reason I can't find her. You're Nii-san's friend, right?"

Sheepishly Naruto rubbed behind his head, lying seemed like the best mean right now. "Yes, I am."

"Then please, tell him to tell me where mother is. He refuses to tell me no matter how many times I ask. He just says they're abroad on business. But…when he says it, he looks sad, so…so I know something's wrong!"

And again, he was caught in the little world Sasuke had built for himself. Yet, he wasn't scared anymore, he wasn't trembling and he felt calm. The best way to atone, to seek forgiveness was to bring his love back first. So, with that thought in mind, he stretched a warm hand and placed it over Sasuke's.

"Don't worry. Your bother won't lie to you. You should know that. Your parents are fine and well, your mother would be here in no time, you just have to be patient and wait for her return with cool."

The words seemed to be right, because Sasuke nodded with a small smile on his face, but with the same blank expression as always. Naruto was satisfied with that little smile though.

"Umm…Nii-san's friend,"

"Call me Naruto, its fine."

"Okay, then you can also call me Sasuke. I…umm…" For some reason, the quiet raven suddenly turned shy and Naruto couldn't help himself from thinking how adorable the other was right now; maybe this whole amnesia business wasn't so bad. After all, he was allowed to see a face that he won't be able to see easily with the normal Sasuke. "…C-Can we be friends?"

And Naruto's face exploded with love. He seriously pinched himself not to fly to where his absent boyfriend was and hug him to death, and chose to reply with a warm. "Of course! From this day onwards, we're best friends! Not just normal friends!"

"But, won't Nii-san get mad if you become best friends with me instead of him?"

"No, he won't. In fact, I'll let you in on a little secret," And to make the effect right, Naruto crawled closer to the other and whispered softly inside his ear. "I came here for you, not him."

Blank orbs looked at him in wonder. "For me?"

Naruto nodded with enthusiasm. "Yep. I'll tell you something that you might not be able to believe, but," Again, he used the method of whispering to lure the raven in, "in our past lives, you and I were lovers."

Before he knew it, Naruto was looking at bright red face; he released a small smile, happy to get that reaction from his boyfriend. He was actually clutching his heart, not knowing what he'd do if the other had pushed him away with disgust and threw stones from the garden they were currently on at him. But that didn't happen, and he dared to push his luck.

"I came here because I heard you needed me. The link we had from our past lives informed me of this,"

"If…" The blushing Sasuke struggled to get this out but he did. "If we really were lovers, then why haven't you come to my side until now? Why did you leave in the first place?"

Those words seemed to hit a nerve in him, and truth was needed amidst the lies, Naruto said in a sad tone. "It's because I betrayed you. You gave me your absolute trust and I failed you. I kept important information away from you and I hurt you with it."

He looked down ashamed; he knew he was forcing the current Sasuke to a hard decision, but…

"I don't really understand, but my mother once told me that if a person asks for forgiveness, and you think that person is truly regretting what they did, then you have to forgive them. As I said, I don't understand the feelings of my old self, but if you apologize enough, I'm sure he'll forgive you."

And for a second, just a second, Naruto thought he was seeing his boyfriend inside talking to him. But that same blank stare was present, indicating that the Sasuke he was with was still the amnesiac one. The small disappointment that fluttered to his stomach was pushed further down by the nice smile and words he was hearing. He straightened up himself and projected the smile with a grin.

"I'll take your words for it and will apologize until he gets sick of me!"

"He?"

"I mean you, I must be tired from all the running around I've been doing today," Naruto quickly started ranting, trying to patch things up before the raven catches him lying and he would have to explain the whole naked truth to him. Something that he knew won't end up good.

"O-h, alright then, umm…you can sleep in there if you're tired."

Naruto followed the pointed finger and he sweat-dropped at the lovely king sized bed that was facing the garden from above the great veranda, in Sasuke's room. He swallowed and shook his head.

"…Err…no…I have my own room, thank you though for the offer."

Again, he could sense the old vibe indicating his love was still somewhere inside when a wind of disappointment flew towards him, but it was gone before he knew what, making him think that it was just his imagination playing tricks with him.

"Then see you later. I've to go to my violin lessons right now. Rest well."

Naruto stood, watching the disappearing back and a grin rested on his face, the bow he'd made was secretly held in that hand that failed to remember him and he took comfort in that.

* * *

Tickling. It was tickling. His legs were tickling. Something was tickling his legs. A small laugh got out of his mouth when the tickling reached his stomach, and when it was too much to bear, the blond cracked one sleepy eye open and pulled the covers over his midsection. It took him a while to make up the shapes because, A- he was sleepy, and B- the lights were off so his hazy vision had to adjust to the dark. His face turned into a confused expression at the lump of raven straddling him.

"S-Sasuke?"

"I couldn't sleep. You said all of this weird stuff about being lovers, you betraying me and somehow I couldn't sleep. I wanted to be close to you, is it weird? I'm weird, right? Even if we were lovers in our past lives, we're strangers…no, we're just best friends in this one, and wanting to be close to you this way is weird. I'm weird."

Naruto pulled the unsure raven from his midsection to his side, and drew the covers over both of them when he saw how cold the skin he'd touched obviously was.

"You're not weird or strange. I also want to get closer to you, so if you're weird and strange, that would make me weird and strange, too. And since I'm neither, then so are you. Wanting to be closer to another human, no one would ever think such thing is strange, and certainly not me."

Naruto smiled when those blank eyes seemed to relax at his words and allowed the raven to lay in comfort.

"I have dreams. Bad dreams. Yesterday, I dreamt that my parents died, some people broke in from a door I left open and killed them. Somehow, Nii-san said he was the one who'd send them. I hated that dream. It was an awful dream. I know Nii-san would never do something like that, but…I don't know why I dreamt it."

He didn't know what to call it, being caught in the moment, being confused, being in the other's embrace, or simply just being close. But Naruto's lips quickly silenced those sad ones with their presence. His right and left hands were intertwined together with Sasuke's and he pressed the other male gently on the covers. Naruto pulled back from the kiss after sensing Sasuke's lips respond back, and his eyes went wide at his behaviour.

This wasn't Sasuke. Right now, the person before him wasn't Sasuke, wasn't his lover or boyfriend, so doing stuff like that wasn't right. He was taking advantage of a vulnerable state the other was in, how could he? How could he lay his hands on the place his love chose to escape to? How could he betray Sasuke not just once, but twice?!

"I…I'm sorry!" Naruto said as his hands released Sasuke's and clutched his criminal of lips in a closed gasp. "I don't know what came over me."

Cold, long, pale fingers took hold of his own once more and retrieved the intertwine Naruto had just disregarded, and with misty looking eyes, the raven beneath whispered a soft. "More, touch me more."

And Naruto lost himself in a trance. He dived in head first without any preparation and claimed the lips that he was depraved from for a period close to two weeks now as his. His right hand was caught tightly into Sasuke's but his left one was left to wander. The human beneath him was pulsating with life, and he was being infected with the fast heat their close proximity was igniting inside of them.

Naruto's lips left Sasuke's and went to nib and peck at every exposed area of the pale skin. He felt Sasuke imitate him, but the kisses were a bit rough and raw, even the nibs were close to a cat's bite than anything. Yet, he was happy. This was the best physical contact he should ask for in the current condition his love with in.

It was sweet yet painful, like he was drowning in cold water and the only source of air were the bubbles being blown from Sasuke's mouth, loving air-bubbles that contained life in them. And he drowned well. Yet, when the hardening between the raven's legs rubbed against him, Naruto stopped all movement. Causing confused orbs to question him silently.

"W-We can't!"

"We can't what?"

Naruto sat upright and opened the nightstand lamp light to shine the room in an orangish hue, "We can't continue with you like this. I refuse to take advantage of you."

"You're taking no advantage; I'm the one asking you to do this." A tranquil tone was coming over his hesitant one, and Naruto feared that pale hand's touch. "When you touch me, in a way, I feel nostalgic, and I like that feeling."

Being overwhelmed by his own emotions, his sense of right and wrong and the expectations the long haired Uchiha had for him to bring his lost brother's back, Naruto felt himself suffocate, and amidst the blue ocean seas of guilt, confusion and love, he was made to see a dark cave. A cave with a dark blue light that pulled him fiercely out of his own turmoil of emotions and willingly, he gave himself to the coldness of the touch, the faintness of the whisper and the gentleness of oblivion.

He dived face first into Sasuke's welcoming arms and shed away all his ugliness for the bright light of the morning to reveal them, all the while ignoring that little, nagging voice inside his heart that was called conscious whispering to him the upcoming consequences of his actions.

* * *

**Done! This was a chapter full of a roller coaster of emotions lol…hope you had fun reading. I'll be waiting for your reviews and thanks!**


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